The Protector
by cerberus angel
Summary: AU: Angela has repetitive dreams about a boy named Gabriel. She sends Thompson to retrieve him and in doing so sets his path for a future no one could have predicted. -"You have a choice." "No we don't...we never did." It was then Noah noticed Sylar had been looking at Claire the entire time. He hadn't been referring to 'we' as in him and Noah, but to 'we' as in him and Claire.
1. Prologue

_**Petrelli Mansion, New York City**_

_**1980**_

Angela Petrelli's eyes were shut as she slept, but there was a slight twitch on her eyelids as if her eyes were moving behind, but they did not open as various images began to play through her mind as a dream.

"_Mommy." A little boy with black hair parted to the side and wore glasses stared at the body of a woman that had been discarded on the dirt road like trash. A crimson gash marred forehead, her eyes dull. _

_The scene melted away. This time the little boy was in a dark room as he sat on the floor hugging his knees and rocked himself. "I didn't mean to be a bad boy." He whispered sniffing as he wiped his tears. The door to the room creaked open and a dim light shined through the opening. _

"_I don't like hurting you." A woman said from the doorway. "You're my special little boy." A shiver went down Angela's spine when she heard her tone. "Come give mommy a hug."_

_The little boy stood up on shaky legs and ran to her. The light illuminated his features and Angela could see his gaze starve for affection as he hugged the woman. Her arms wrapped around him. "There, there darling." She ran her hand through his hair. "Remember who I am to you." Her hands fisted his hair and the boy let out a whimper. "I'm your new mommy."_

_The boy trembled in her arms as he agreed. "Mommy."_

_The image changed again at a more rapid rate until the boy ceased to exist and a man took his place. Angela watched with dread as the man smirked evilly and scalped his victims. But the ones that filled her with horror was when she saw her Peter being thrown out of a window to what most likely lead to his death and her Nathan helpless to put up a fight when the man slit his throat, blood poured out at an alarming rate. Pain and guilt wreaked havoc over her when the man lifted his hand pinning a blonde teen against the wall and mercilessly cut a line on her forehead using his finger. Her screams of pain echoed as he scalped her._

Her eyes snapped open as she sat up in bed and it took her several moments to not only calm her breathing, but familiarize herself with her surroundings.

"Angela." Arthur Petrelli muttered half asleep as he sat up and looked at his wife concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Angela quickly shook her head before he could place his hand on her shoulder. "I need some water." It took years of making in order for her to keep her calm exterior and not throw the covers off of her as she put her slippers on and walked out the room. Instead of heading downstairs she opened the door to Nathan's room to see her thirteen year old son sleeping peacefully and sighed in relief. She walked to his bed and placed a soft kiss on his forehead tugging the blanket over him to make sure he was warm and comfortable before walking out the room and closing the door quietly. She made her way to Peter's nursery and walked to the crib to see the baby boy dressed in a baby blue footie. He had kicked the cover off him as he slept and a small smile graced his lips. Angela gently pulled the white blanket over him and tucked it around him to make sure he wouldn't grow cold throughout the rest of the night. Her fingertips gently caressed his chubby smooth cheek and let his smile comfort her. "I will protect you and Nathan." She whispered to him.

* * *

_**Brooklyn, New York**_

_**1984**_

"Have you found him?"

"It's not that simple Angela."

"Why not Thompson?" Angela tried to keep her tone under control as they walked through a crowd. She kept a close eye on Peter who they had strategically placed between them as they walked through the sidewalk. "I gave you a name."

"You gave me a first name." Eric Thompson tried to keep his temper in check. "There are over hundreds of Gabriel's. If you had a last name then we can narrow down the search."

"I gave you a description of him."

"Which can only go so far."

"I don't care what you have to do." She stopped walking and gave him a look. "Use any means possible to find him."

Peter grew bored standing in the same place as him mother talked with the other man in shushed tones. He bounced the small red ball he had been holding and discreetly tugged his hand from his mother's grasp as he chased after it. It bounced off the sidewalk and into the busy street.

"Peter." Angela looked around to see her son missing and panicked. "Peter!"

Thompson helped her by looking and caught sight of the five year old as he stepped off the sidewalk. He cursed and tried to sprint toward him.

"Peter!" Angela ran to him hoping that Thompson would reach him in time.

Thompson watched with disbelief as another boy who appeared to be a few years old than Peter and wore glasses ran after him and grabbed him. He pulled Peter back causing the both of them to land on a pile by the end of the sidewalk as a car sped passed them. The boy had cushioned Peter's fall, but that didn't stop the little boy from getting teary eyed as various unfamiliar faces formed a circle around and asked them questions. Noticing Peter was about to cry the older boy forced him to meet his gaze. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Peter's voice cracked just as he was about to start crying the older boy pulled him into a hug and patted his head. "There, there." Peter simply sniffed and took comfort from him.

"Peter!"

Thompson shoved through the crowd with Angela right behind him.

"Mommy!" Peter ran to her and she wasted no time in lifting him into her arms. "Are you hurt sweetie?" He shook his head and buried his face into her neck as he hugged her.

"That was a pretty brave and reckless thing you did back there." Thompson addressed the older boy as he helped him up. "What were you thinking?"

"The car was going to hit him." The boy looked at him nervously. "I didn't want the car to hit him…I had a chance to get him before impact. Why not grab him if I can?"

He crouched down onto his level. "What's your name boy?"

"Gabriel." The boy responded meeting his gaze. "Gabriel Gray."

It was then Thompson looked at Angela and saw the recognition flash in her eyes as she looked at Gabriel. This was the Gabriel she had been looking for.

"Gabriel!"

Thompson watched carefully as Gabriel went tense for a moment before forcing a smile as he turned to face the woman that had been calling his name.

"I was worried sick about you. Why did you run off?"

"I am sorry mom." Gabriel walked toward her. "I won't do it again."

"It's my fault." Angela spoke up and smiled at his mother politely. "He rescued my son from incoming traffic."

Virginia Gray looked at her son surprised. "Is that true?" When Gabriel nodded shyly she whispered to him, "I always knew you were special." She pressed a kiss on his head.

Thompson saw the boy grimace as he forced another smile.

"Well I'm glad my son could have helped, but Gabriel and I have to go now. We still have much to do before my husband gets home."

"Of course, I hope you have a pleasant day Mrs. Gray."

"Likewise Mrs.—"

"Petrelli."

"Mrs. Petrelli."

As Virginia and Gabriel began walking away Peter broke through the silence that weighed heavily over his mother and Thompson. "Mommy, I want my ball."

Angela didn't have a say a word as she glanced at Thompson who went to retrieve it knowing he had no choice in the matter. When Peter was handed back his ball Angela caved into his request of being put down.

"Gabe!" Peter yelled running after Gabriel and Virginia.

Angela and Thompson watched the scene unfold as Gabriel and his mother stopped walking and turned to face him.

"For you." Peter held out the ball for him.

"I—"

When he hesitated Peter grabbed his hand and put the ball into it. "Keep it."

"Thank you." Gabriel smiled back at him.

"There's something off about that woman." Thompson commented.

"He's the one. I need you to get him for me."

"I'll have him by tonight."

* * *

It had been three days since Thompson brought in Gabriel and the nine year old refused to speak to anyone, but to him.

"The boy is impressive." Thompson commented to Angela as they watched him through a two way mirror.

Angela's eyes never wavered from the boy as he finished another five hundred piece puzzle. "You have no idea."

"That's his fifth one."

"How long?"

"Less than an hour."

"His problem solving skills are growing rapidly."

"If we go by the test results this is but the beginning."

"What is his power?"

"We think it might be intuitive aptitude, but we're not sure. He still needs to go through more tests, but he seems to be reluctant. He keeps asking about his mother and when he will be able to go home."

Without another word she left Thompson's side and walked toward the door that led to Gabriel's room. She opened the door only to meet with a pair of curious onyx eyes, which widened slightly with recognition. "Hello Gabriel."

"Mrs. Petrelli." The little boy sat straight in his chair as he regarded the older woman with respect.

"How are you feeling?" Angela took a seat on the chair across the table from him.

"I'm doing perfectly fine considering that I'm not harmed and have eaten." He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes before placing them back on.

"Are the glasses bothering your eyes?"

"Yes, they have been for the past three days." Gabriel frowned growing tired and took them off again.

"Maybe you need new glasses." She suggested feeling slightly guilty when he saw how tired the little boy looked.

"Perhaps."

"Gabriel—"

"When will I be able to go home? Mother will be worried sick about me. I have to go back. I can't disappoint her."

The desperation in his gaze sent a chill down her spine. "You won't be able to go back." The need to please his mother at such a young age was somewhat frightening. "I can't let you."

"I don't understand." Gabriel shook his head. "Why not?"

"She doesn't want you." The lie slipped from her tongue smoothly. She could not mess this up. The lives of her sons and future grandchildren hanged in the balance.

"What?"

The heart broken look almost had her taking the words back. "She had Thompson personally come collect you in your sleep."

"Why?"

"Because you are special."

"She always wanted me to be special!" He snapped tears clouding his eyes. "Why would she abandon me when all I did was become what she wanted me to?"

"You are far more special then she had ever imagined you to become."

His hands clenched into fists as he looked at the table that had the puzzle he finished moments ago. "Let me talk to her. I can beg her to take me back. I'll promise not be special, I'll be whatever she wants me to be."

"You shouldn't promise something you can't keep." Angela said to him gently. "Would it be so bad for you to stay here with people like us?"

Gabriel looked up with undisguised fear. "I won't be alone?" He whispered.

"You won't be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because there are others like us."

"Special like us?"

"Yes."

"How are you special?" Gabriel asked curiously slowing letting go of his fear.

If she wanted him to trust her then she knew she had to tell him the truth. "I dream about the future."

"Really?" His eyes instantly lit up as a small smile graced his lips. "Have you seen my future?"

"Perhaps."

"That's not a straightforward answer."

"I know, but I can't share the future so freely when even I can't comprehend what will happen."

"You can only influence certain situations and hope in the end that it will change the outcome."

Angela remained silent trying not to convey through body language or facial expression how his words rang true.

"Are you trying to influence my fate?" His gaze unwavering as it met hers. "For the better?"

"Promise your loyalty to me and I will make sure you are never alone."

"You will always be there?"

"I will try, but I will make sure someone will be there."

"…"

"Gabriel—"

"I promise. I won't stray from you." The hard resolve in his eyes made it seem like she was talking to an adult and not a child. "What is your first order?"

"Top priority is to find who you are and then be yourself."

"Who I am?"

"But be warned Gabriel, many spend their whole lifetime trying to figure out who they are and don't succeed."

"I won't be one of them." He promised determination burned in his gaze.

"I believe in you." It was then she did something that not only surprised Gabriel and herself, but also Thompson who had watched the whole conversation. She leaned over the table and kissed his forehead. When she pulled back a small blush coated his cheeks as he smiled shyly at her. "I'll see you soon." And she meant it.

* * *

_**New York**_

_**1985**_

"He's a dangerous one."

"Should we tranquilize him?"

"We tried, but he melts the darts and no one can get close enough to him in order to give him an injection."

Angela frowned as she watched the man in his cell throw flames at the glass. If he kept going at it, it wouldn't be long before he was able to escape and hurt many on his rampage.

"Let me out of here!"

"What do you want to do?" Thompson asked her.

While everyone had been discussing options no one noticed the ten year old watching the scene fascinated.

"I think we sho —"

"Oh shit!" One of the agents cursed as they looked through the glass in horror.

For a moment Angela stopped breathing when she saw Gabriel inside the room with that man. Thompson not wasting anytime ran to the door.

"Stop!" Gabriel yelled at Thompson holding out a hand signaling him not to come any closer. The man looked at him confused.

"What is a child like you doing here?" He asked glaring at him.

"I know you're scared."

"I'm not!"

Thompson tensed when Anderson advanced toward Gabriel. "It's okay." Gabriel told him calmly without a hint of fear in his voice. "I was scared when they brought me in during my sleep and I woke up here."

"You don't know what it's like." Anderson spat at him. "To have fire come out of your hands when ever your emotions get the best of you." To prove his point he shot fire from his hand narrowly missing Gabriel's left arm.

"Hurt the boy and I will kill you." Thompson threatened pulling out his gun.

"Don't." Gabriel said over his shoulder before looking at them. "I might know." He extended his arm and presented him his fist before turning it around opening it with his palm facing up.

Angela watched in wonder as a small flame hovered Gabriel's open palm.

"Did you know he could do that?"

"No, I didn't know he could use fire."

"He didn't know before." She said watching as Anderson lowered his guard.

"How?" Anderson asked in surprise. "You're like me."

"In a way." Gabriel answered as he continued to distract him with the flame and pulled out the syringe he had hidden in his long sleeve. When Anderson leaned closer to him Gabriel jammed the needle into the side of his throat. "I'm sorry." He whispered when the man looked at him with disbelief, which slowly turned to shock as he fell to his knees and then anger when he realized what the little boy did to him.

"You're working with them." He hissed.

"I couldn't let you hurt her." Gabriel whispered.

Thompson seeing the fire hovering in Anderson's palms even as he fought the fainting spell, ran toward Gabriel and grabbed the boy. He was barely able to jump through the open door and slam it close with his foot stopping a fire ball from searing them. "What were you thinking?" He snapped at the younger boy as they caught their breath and helped him up. Seeing him in danger had disturbed him more than he would like. After a year of keeping an eye on him and instructing what may be expected of him, he had formed a bond with him.

"Thompson." Angela said in warning as she pulled Gabriel from him and turned the boy to face her. She gave him a once over reassuring herself that he was unharmed. "Gabriel you must not put yourself in harm's way. You are too young and ill prepared."

"One of us, one of them." Gabriel recited the rule every agent followed in the company. The first rule Thompson ever discussed with him.

Thompson felt a dose of pride toward the little boy.

"Anderson was going to hurt everyone, hurt you I couldn't…let that happen." Gabriel looked at the floor. "You were most likely going to send in Thompson since he is the most competent of all the agents who were here at the moment, but there wasn't one with an ability…I was the only one. Thompson could have gotten seriously hurt or died if he went in alone."

"And you didn't think he would hurt you?"

"There was always a possibility he would, but I relied on my appearance to catch him off guard."

"What about the flame?"

"I'm not sure." Gabriel responded truthfully. "I kept seeing him throw flames at the glass repeatedly. His moves were desperate and the way his eyes moved around the room in panic indicated a hint of fear even though he was trying to cover it with anger. I could relate to his desperation and fear because I felt like that the first time I was here. That's when I felt it…something warm."

Thompson noticed the agents looking amongst themselves nervously and the few scientists looked at the boy with a new interest that unnerved him. "Mr. Gray has had enough excitement for one day."

Gabriel frowned knowing that Thompson only called him by his last name when he did something wrong.

"He will go have his dinner and then get ready for bed. Tomorrow," He glared at the scientists who quickly looked away guilty, "we will discuss this more in detail."

"I agree." Angela ran a hand through Gabriel's hair with a hint of affection when the boy continued to look at the floor. "You did a good job Gabriel." This time when the boy looked up at her surprised, she had a small smile gracing her lips. "Now go eat."

Gabriel nodded before turning around. He looked at Thompson, who raised an eyebrow at him. Just as he was walking passed him Thompson ruffled his hair letting him know he was not angry. He looked back at the older man who winked at him and caused him to smirk at him before walking away.

Once he was out sight Angela turned to Thompson. "I think it's about time he gets an alias."

"So you're all ready thinking of putting him on the field?"

Not yet, but perhaps soon."

* * *

Gabriel looked curiously at Thompson who was quiet more than usually. He had wanted to ask his mentor what was that he wanted to discuss, but instead remained silent and let him take his time.

"Angela wants me to give you an alias."

"Alias?"

"A codename to disguise your true identity when you are on the field."

"I know what an alias is, but you don't seem happy about that."

"When you get one, it usually means you will be assigned to on duty."

"You don't think I'm ready for it?"

"It's not that I don't think you aren't ready to go on field." Thompson sighed. "I think you're still too young even though you are wise beyond your years."

Gabriel remained silent as he contemplated his mentor's words. "Are you afraid I will change?"

"Aren't you?"

"I never thought about it." He answered truthfully as he looked at the wall. Would he change for the better or worse? The future isn't set in stone. Will he still become what Angela tried to stop him from becoming?

Thompson looked at the boy sitting across from him. It had been a year since he had taken the boy from his home and flipped his world upside down. Thompson and Angela had kept a close eye on him and saw how mature he was becoming with each day. It surprised him how the little boy couldn't see that he was already changing. But even so he still retained a hint of innocence. It was the only thing keeping him from feeling guilty about going with Angela's lie. He was used to dealing with older teens or adults, but never a child. It was that innocence he worried would fade from the boy the moment Angela gave the okay to send him out and start bringing in others like him. Who would his partner be? "So do you have a name in mind?" He asked watching as Gabriel closed his eyes and craned his head to the side as if hearing something.

"It's ticking half a minute too slow." His eyes snapped open as he looked at Thompson's watch irritated. "I thought I fixed that for you."

Thompson looked at him amused. "This is another one." He undid the clasp and handed the watch to Gabriel who had his hand out wordlessly demanding for it. Thompson was used to this side of him and didn't mind it since it saved him money for going to watchmaker shop to get it fixed…not that he really cared, but it seemed to offer the boy some comfort, so he bought him a kit from repairing watches and on occasion would bring him a broken watch. But he hadn't known that the watch he was wearing was slightly off. He had bought it seven years ago and barely used it. He learned a few months ago that Gabriel's father had been teaching him how to repair watches. The boy carefully opened the watch and took his time looking over it not wanting to remove any parts unless necessary.

Gabriel stood up from his seat and walked toward his bed where he lifted the mattress and took out the kit Thompson gave him. He went back to his seat and opened it. Pulling out the tool he needed he began to work on fixing the loose screw. A moment later he set the tool down and held the timepiece up to his ear. His eyes a closed as a small smile graced his lips when he heard the right tic. "There." He whispered carefully closing it up again. His thump brushed over the glass as he caught sight of the name for watch. "Sylar?"

"You want that to be your alias?"

"What?" He looked surprised.

"It would be fitting for you considering how you like fixing those timepieces."

"You have a valid point." Gabriel tried to hand back the watch but Thompson shook his head.

"Keep it. Consider it a gift for officially welcoming you to the Company."

"Okay." Gabriel nodded and carefully clasped the watch onto his wrist.

"Sylar."

Gabriel gaze instantly snapped back to Thompson.

The older man knew that the boy had chosen the right name by how attach he was to it already. "From now on you will be known as Sylar and only few will ever know your true name unless you want to share it with another, but be warned there are many wolves who dress as sheep. People who you think as friends may betray you so you must always be on guard."

"Will you become one of those people?"

"I don't know." Thompson told him honestly knowing how the Company was a cut throat business. You turn their back on them you will be hunted down. "But let us hope not."

"…"

"There's one more thing I would like to give you." He pulled out a small red ball from his pocket.

His eyes latched onto it instantly remembering the little boy that had given it to him.

Thompson placed it on the table. "I thought you would want it."

"I thought I would never see it again." He picked up the ball carefully and stared it remembering what happened that day. Feeling multiple emotions of joy, anger, pride, and sadness wage inside him over how his life changed and for a moment he wondered if his life will keep on changing and will there never be a constant thing in his life. Something that he can call his own? Someone who would accept him unconditionally and be beside him no matter what?

"I want you to remember where you came from." Thompson voice broke through his dark musings. "That no matter where you find yourself in the future you can look at the ball and remember what you did and what you are."

"What I am?"

"A hero."

His hand tightened on the ball.

"You became a hero the moment you risked your life and saved Peter Petrelli. Don't you forget that." Thompson ruffled his hair as he stood from his chair. "I wish you the best of luck Sylar."

Sylar watched his mentor walk away, but instead feeling dread he felt confident that whatever the future held for him he will come out on top. He glanced back at the ball let it go only for it to hit the ground and bounce back up, which he caught with his hand. He let the ticking of the Sylar watch on his left hand sooth him and he bounced the ball with his other hand feeling a small genuine smile curve on his lips.

* * *

"I saw that ball in my dream last night." Angela said the moment Thompson had closed the door behind him.

"I went to retrieve it for him last night." He simply said coming to stand beside her and watched as Sylar bounced the red ball and caught it while smiling.

"But it was no longer in his possession." She said more to herself than him. "He gave it to a five year old girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes."

* * *

_**New York**_

_**1986**_

"Sylar."

The eleven year old boy looked over his shoulder at his mentor to see him walking with a man who wore horn-rimmed glasses.

"Just the boy I was looking for." Thompson smirked.

Sylar remained silent waiting for him to continue.

"I want you to meet our new recruit." He motioned to the man beside him. "Noah Bennet."

"Welcome." The young boy stuck out his hand and grasped Noah's hand in a firm grip when the older man shook his hand. "I'm Sylar Gray."

"And he will be your partner until I can find you a permanent one."

"You're one of them?" Noah looked at the boy surprised caught off guard by how young the boy was. He only had ever encountered adults with special abilities and didn't know how he felt about having to depend on someone so young to have his back.

Sylar nodded.

"Don't be fooled by how young he is." Thompson looked at the boy with a hint of pride. "He's one of our top ones and one of Angela's favorites." He glanced at Noah. "Since Angela seems to also have a liking towards I thought it would be best to partner the both of you up for the time being."

"Last time I checked Claude has yet to be assigned a partner."

"I'll have to check up on that, but until then both of you play nice." He waved at them before walking off.

"So," Noah glanced down at Sylar. "What ability do you have?"

"Would you like me to show you?" A smirk curved on his lips.

Noah simply raised an eyebrow in affirmative.

* * *

_**1991**_

Sylar was only able to work with Noah for a year before Thompson had Claude take his place, but that still hadn't stopped the friendship that developed between Noah and him from growing the past four years. He had even been invited to Noah's small wedding with Sandra, but wasn't able to make due to being sent out on a mission across the nation the day before the wedding. Still Noah would constantly update him on any huge developments in his life or they would simply have lunch together. On occasion Claude would join them and mostly swoon over the baby the Company had Noah adopt. Practically gushed about how adorable the baby girl was, which peaked Sylar's curiosity especially when Noah would shift uncomfortable and not shine any enlightenment on the topic or would avoid it by changing the subject.

Noah had yet to invite Sylar to meet the baby, which led to him dropping by on a surprise visit to the Bennet apartment on his day off. Sylar knew that he could get in trouble with not only Noah, but also Thompson and Angela since he hadn't bothered to inform anyone where he was going. He climbed up the steps and stopped on the floor that he knew Noah's apartment was and as he walked down the hallway he noticed a woman struggling with carrying a baby in one arm, carrying grocery bags in the other and trying to open the door to her apartment with her hand. "Let me help you with that." Not waiting for a response he grabbed the grocery bags.

"Thank you." The woman sighed gratefully as she took a moment to correct her hold on the baby and then turned the key to unlock the door. "Come on in."

For the first time since approaching her Sylar was able to get a good look at her without the grocery bags obscuring her face and recognized her instantly as Noah's wife Sandra Bennet. Noah had shown him a picture of her when they had begun dating and then again after they got married. He followed her inside and waited for her to close the door before following her to the kitchen.

"Thank you again." Sandra smiled at him warmly. "I don't know how to repay you."

"It was nothing." Sylar schooled his expression with a smile not wanting her to see his frown. He could see the dark bags under her eyes as if she hadn't been getting enough sleep. Her body language oozed of exhaustion.

"Would you like a something to drink?" She asked a moment before the baby in her arms began to cry. "There, there, sweetheart."

"Is she hurt?" He asked concerned as the baby cried loudly in her mother's arms.

"No." Sandra smiled kindly. "She just needs a diaper change. Just let me get her changed and I'll get you something to drink." She rushed out the kitchen and into the living room placing her on the changing table.

Sylar followed at a greater distance looking away to give the baby girl privacy as Sandra changed her diaper. After a few minutes he heard Sandra sigh, "Isn't that much better Claire?" Claire gave a giggle in response, which had him looking back at the mother and baby girl. He felt a slight ache and longing when he saw the Sandra, even though exhausted, affectionately run her hand over Claire's head and kissed her cheek gently.

"So, now that I have that done," Sandra lifted Claire back into her arms and turned to face Sylar. "What would you like to drink?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

"I hope I haven't kept you from doing anything important."

"Not at all." Sylar smiled at her when she sighed in relief. "I was looking for Mr. Bennet."

"Noah?" She looked at him curiously.

"I can to deliver him a message."

"You work with him?"

"I volunteer. I'm his boss's nephew."

"Oh!" Sandra exclaimed. "You're the first person I have met from his job. He barely talks about it and it's rare for him to ever mention a coworker. What is your name?"

"Gabriel Sylar Gray." He answered without hesitation and glanced at Claire to see her staring at him as if curious.

"I believe I have heard of you, but my husband calls you Sylar."

Sylar looked away from the baby to look back at her. "Mostly everyone calls me Sylar."

"Which do you prefer?"

"I'm not picky." He responded as his gaze went back to Claire, this time to see her giving him a toothless grin.

"Okay then, since my husband calls you Sylar it's only fair that I do as well." Sandra had noticed how Sylar kept glancing at Claire and bit back a grin. "Do you want to hold her?" The look of alarm on his face was priceless.

"I can't—what if she starts crying?"

"She won't." Sandra assured practically not giving him a choice in the matter as she passed Claire to Sylar's hesitant hands. "She has been fed and changed."

"I…" For a moment Sylar lost his train of thought as he met Claire's green hazel eyes. His hand instinctively tightened their hold on her as he pulled her closer to his chest.

"I'll go get us something cold to drink." Sandra said smiling at how adorable the sixteen-year-old looked holding a six-month-old Claire in his arms.

He broke his gaze from hers and watched helpless as Sandra walked back into the kitchen and left him alone with Claire. "So…" Sylar looked back the baby girl in his arms feeling tense not knowing what to do, but the moment she placed her small hand on his shirt and he found himself slowly calming down. Her eyes met his again, but the moment was broken when she fisted his shirt and leaned in to suck on it. The chuckle that rumbled through him not only surprised her, but him as well. She pulled back abruptly and looked at him wide eyed. The look on her face caused him to chuckle again and this time she clapped and a delightful giggle pierced the air.

"She must really like you." Sandra said as she came into the living room holding two glasses of lemonade.

Sylar had no idea how to respond to that, but he silently agreed hoping that what she said was true. Claire placed her hands on his cheeks and cooed as if wanting to tell him something and his heart melted. If he didn't know any better he would think Claire had a power just like him, which consisted of filling the room with warmth by just smiling and melting hearts by looking into someone's eyes. Sylar for the first time in a long time gave a genuine smile and as Claire gave another delightful laugh that had Sylar's heart melting for her, she unknowingly had him wrapped around her finger. A part of him wanted nothing than to hold her close and wrap his body around her to shelter her, protect her from harm and kill any who would dare harm her. There was no judgment, anger, fear, respect or sadness in her gaze as she regarded him. There was only warmth, unconditional warmth that came with no ties attached. He had no idea what he could have done to cause her to gaze upon him in such a way, but he would do anything possible to keep her looking at him in such a way. Needed, protected, wanted…he belonged.

When Noah stepped into his apartment he had never been expected to be greeted by the sight of Sylar playing peek-a-boo with Clair semi sitting on the couch against a stack of pillows that propped her up. He froze until Sandra came to him and greeted him with a kiss. "What is going on?"

"Sylar stopped by saying that he needed to give you a message from your boss, so waited for you, but along the wait became smitten with Claire." Sandra said with a smile. "He has been a great help keeping her busy while I cook and even volunteered to babysit her on the days he's not volunteering at his uncle's company."

It only took a few seconds for Noah to put two and two together and understand that Sylar had fabricated a story to meet Claire since this was his day off and Thompson had all ready told him about Kaito Nakamura's plan to call him later in the day.

"Sylar will you be staying for dinner?" Sandra asked as she walked back to the kitchen.

Sylar looked over his shoulder to see Noah, who nodded at him. "Yes ma'am, if it's not too much of a bother."

"It's not sweetheart, I'm inviting."

"You're wife thinks I'm a sweetheart." Sylar teased as Noah came to stand beside him and Claire.

"That's only because she doesn't know the real you."

"You're just jealous that both Bennet women like me. Isn't that right?" Sylar nudged Claire's cheek affectionately with his nose before kissing it causing Noah to raise an eyebrow. Claire cooed as she clapped her hands smiling. Seeing Noah's expression he shrugged. "She's adorable. How can you resist not spoiling her?"

Noah didn't answer his question because what Sylar said about Claire being adorable was true. Every day he watched Sandra hold the girl and kiss her it gets harder for him to be affectionate with Claire especially Sandra makes him hold her because she needs to do something. The problem was that she wasn't his, she was his assignment. If she ends up having powers he has to turn her in and if he gets close he won't be able to accomplish assignment.

The phone ringing broke through his musings. Noah went to answer it. "Hello."

Sylar watched from the corner of his eye as Noah went tense. His tone was collected, and professional business like. Sylar knew it was someone from the company, when Noah hanged up and turned to face him his gaze had hardened like it did multiple times just as an assignment was about to begin.

"I know it's your day off, but would you mind running an errand with Claire and me before dinner?" Noah knew that Sylar understood what he meant when he frowned as he looked at Claire.

"What do they want with her?" he asked his voice quiet enough that only Noah and Claire could hear him.

"I'm not sure yet. The details will be discussed once we get there."

"We don't have a choice in the matter." Sylar sighed standing up. "You answered the call."

"You do have a choice."

He shook his head. Claire as if feeling the mood change in the room tilted her head to the side as a small frown began to tug on her lips. "No we don't…we never did."

It was then Noah noticed that Sylar had been looking at Claire the entire time. Sylar had not been referring to 'we' as in him and Noah, but to 'we' as in him and Claire.

AN: I apologize for any grammatical errors and incase the timeline is incorrect. I tried to estimate the dates with the events that were shared in the show as much as I could. This is my first Heroes fanfic. =) It's AU and based on, what if Angela was constantly plagued with visions of Sylar in her dreams for years and had acted upon them before they could take their course. How would his life change if she interfered? How would his future connect to Claire and Peter? This fic will follow the events of S1, but with Sylar being a hero. There will be multiple twists and turns. I don't know if I plan to follow the POV's for everyone like it did in the show or if I should simply follow Sylar and Claire's POV. Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think. (^_^)


	2. Genesis

"**Where does it come from? This quest, this need to solve life's mysteries when the simplest of questions can never be answered? Why are we here? What is the soul? Why do we dream? Perhaps we'd be better off not looking at all, not delving, not yearning. That's all human nature, not the human heart. That is not why we are here."**

His gaze was intense and focused, but with a hint of fear. His face over the years may have changed, but two things stayed constant, kindness and innocence. Standing on the edge of a seventy story building, his heart pounded rapidly within his chest. He knew there was no turning back, it had to be done. The cool wind caressed his body as if trying to put him at ease. Coming to a final decision he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This time when he opened his eyes he looked upward, gathering every ounce of his courage he slowly spread his arms out as if they were wings and took the final step by leaning forward kick starting his fall toward the ground. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as the wind rushed around him and the ground neared with each second. But instead off meeting the concrete his body at the last minute stopped in midair. He hovered for only a heartbeat before flying out the alley at an alarming speed. He flied into the air, thirty floors above the street and soared through the city, buildings passed by as a blur taking his breath away.

* * *

_**Peter Petrelli **_

_**New York City**_

"How's he doing?"

The voice followed by a blinding light woke Peter abruptly from his sleep. Charles Devaux, the elderly man he was in charge of taking care of until he passed away lay on the bed remaining unconscious.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

"No, it's just…" He ran a hand over his face trying to rub the dizzy spell off and places the New York Times that had rested on his chest on the bed. "I keep having these amazing dreams every time I close my eyes…" his voice trailed off when he noticed Simone was distracted as she walked to her father's side. "He likes me to read him the stock page."

Simone looked at him concerned. "Has he been conscious?"

"No." Peter sighed feeling tired and a bit of guilt for not being able to help Charles as much as he would like to. "It's been a week. I think he's close. Couple of days maybe."

She nodded trying to keep her emotions in check. "I don't know what I would do without you. You got a real gift."

"I'm just doing my job."

"No, don't think like that. You're like a son to him."

Peter smiled glancing at her embarrassed. "Then that would make you like my sister. That could be a little awkward if I were to ask you out." The words slipped from his lips before he could stop himself. He had debated about asking her out, but never did…until now.

This time it was Simone who looked at him embarrassed. She knew he was serious and she felt flattered that he had a crush on her.

"I'm sorry, that was really inappropriate." He said quickly trying to break the tension between them.

"Don't, that was sweet. You're sweet." She smiled at him gently. If only she had known much sooner then things might have been different. "It's just…I'm dating somebody and —"

"It's cool." He stepped away from her feeling disappointed. "I need to change his IV."

"Of course. I'm sorry." Simone moved from the bed and let Peter have his space to move.

"It's all right." He reassured her.

She couldn't help but watched as he moved with ease. He always made sure she felt at ease and even now he was trying.

* * *

_**Noah Bennet**_

_**Madras, India **_

_**3 Days Ago**_

Noah entered the apartment of the deceased Chandra Suresh, his gaze taking in the small details. He took off his glasses and placed them on the table over a textbook next to a box named Genesis. He flipped it open to see it filled with files and skimmed through them frowning when he saw the names: Human Flight Potential, Rapid Cellular Regeneration, Parapsychology, Teleportation, etc. In the wrong hands this information could be dangerous. Noah looked at the map of the entire world that covered a wall. There were pushpins with different colored of yarn string that connected locations, while specific newspaper clipping were also pinned to the side.

Walking to the next room he began to calmly search through the drawers until he found a paper that Chandra Suresh had written, his thesis. He was skimming through the paper when his cell phone rang. "Hello."

"I heard from the Haitian that you went to India."

Noah smirked when he heard the familiar voice. "Miss me?"

"You wish." Sylar chuckled. "More like I'm annoyed that I have to clean up after your mess."

"I'll make it up to you by letting you visit Claire even when I'm not there."

He snorted. "Noah, trust me when I say that if I wanted to see Claire I would go without your permission."

"So why haven't you?" Noah asked amused knowing the answer.

"You know why." Sylar growled. "Between you forbidding me—"

"I revoked that a year ago."

"You're lucky I can't kick you right now."

He chuckled. "Come on Sylar, tell me why you called."

"The Haitian told me to tell you he's busy at the moment and if you need anything to call me directly."

"Why don't I feel at ease with that?"

"Come on Noah, it's like old times." Sylar said wistfully. "So back to the subject hand, have you reached his place?"

"I'm at his place now."

"Did he leave anything interesting?"

"He left everything behind but his computer."

"What exactly is everything?"

"His research, the map."

"Do I send someone in?"

"Yeah send a team in to bag and tag everything." It was then he noticed a flash in the other room. "Let me call you right back." Noah hanged up the phone not giving Sylar a chance to speak and placed it back in his pocket. The amusement bled from his gaze leaving only cold and calculating as he placed his hand over his gun. Thunder covered the sound of the light footsteps and the front door opening and closing. He stepped into the room seeing it empty and grabbed his horn-rimmed glasses placing them back on. His gaze roamed the room instantly noticing a few things missing. Someone had been there. Not wasting time he pulled out his phone and redialed the last number.

"You okay?" Sylar asked in greeting.

"I'm fine, but it seems someone had come in and took some things from here."

"Want me to send word to Eden to keep her eyes on Chandra's apartment in New York?"

"If you could be so kind to."

"Let me think on it." Sylar didn't give Noah a chance to respond before hanging up.

Noah looked at the phone amused for a moment before pocketing it.

* * *

_**Claire Bennet **_

_**Odessa, Texas**_

A teenage boy held a camcorder as he recorded a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes dressed in a cheerleading uniform. She ran up a set of stairs of an abandoned plant.

"Is the camera ready?" She asked as reached the top.

"Yeah!" Zach responded watching nervously as she climbed over the railing. "This is like eighty feet." He mumbled to himself. "This is so unreal."

"Okay, I'm good!"

He zoomed in. "Okay." The moment the words slipped out, the girl let go and her scream pierced the air as she fell. "Oh my…" he exclaimed in shock as he watched helplessly as the girl hit the ground full force. "Claire!" Zach yelled as he ran toward her still filming her, feeling fear when her body didn't stir.

A second later Claire moved. She calmly got up on her feet holding the wrist of her dislocated right shoulder. Dirt smudged her face and the few scratches that marred her face healed leaving behind flawless skin and blood as they only evidence that they had been there. Claire gritted her teeth and let out a breath of air as she snapped the bone back into place. The pain instantly stopped and physically her body was fine, but mentally she was still in shock and continued to hold her right shoulder and take deep breaths. Her gaze then met the camera calmly, emotionlessly. "This is Claire Bennet…and that was attempt number six."

* * *

Once again Peter found himself falling from the building. The feel of wind rushing passed him, exhilarating. But this time as he fell someone was waiting at the bottom. He couldn't make out the figure until the person looked up. The breath rushed out of his lungs, he recognized the person as someone he adored and cherished. His older brother Nathan was the one looking up at him with an annoyed smile.

The sound of a bus braking had Peter waking with a start from his dream. He took a moment to get his bearings, rattled by the dream. He looked at the bus only to see the picture of a smiling Nathan running for senator. A small smile graced his lips feeling a hint of pride and affection for his older brother before it vanished when he remembered the dream, concern and confusion took the place of affection and pride.

"Your stop, sir."

Peter paid the cab driver and got out the car taking his headphones off. He walked into the building where his older brother was running his campaign.

"Mr. Linderman, I'll have to call you back in five minutes." Nathan said into the phone as he watched Peter walk in and toward him before hanging up. "I'm late." He informed his younger brother. "I have a fund raiser and two speeches—"

"It happened two more times." Peter said quickly. "Sometimes I'm flying and sometimes I'm falling." He wanted Nathan to understand. "Sometimes you're in them."

"I don't have time for this." Nathan grabbed his suitcase and some papers as he began to walk away.

"There not just dreams, Nathan." He followed him not letting the matter drop.

"Hold this." Nathan handed him his suitcase.

"I thought they'd go away, but they're not."

Nathan handed the papers he was holding to a man sitting on a desk. "Make sure to mail these, please."

"Today when I woke up, my feet hovered before I hit the ground." Peter told Nathan between excitement and nervous as he grabbed the papers a woman was handing to him and signed them. "Hovered for a split second like I was floating." He glanced around as he whispered to him. "I'm telling you, I think I can fly."

For a moment Nathan's eyes filled with panic as he looked at Peter before he looked away and forced a smile at the lady sitting on the desk they had stopped in front of. "So I only had to sign them?"

The woman nodded and grabbed the papers when Nathan handed them back to her.

"Tell you what, if you think you can fly why don't you jump off the Brooklyn Bridge?" He grabbed his suitcase from Peter as he walked passed him. "See what happens."

"The idea crossed my mind, but I'd like to start with something lower first." Peter responded not hearing the sarcasm in Nathan's voice. "Like learning to walk."

"You're serious about this?" Nathan looked at him in disbelief as they walked out the building.

"I'm serious."

"You need to snap out of this Peter." He wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "See a doctor, get some drugs, but do not pull a Roger Clinton on me. I'm eight points down the poll."

Peter felt his stomach drop with disappointment and the burn of betrayal. His older brother was supposed to support him. "This isn't about you. Something is happening to me and I have this feeling that you're the only person that can understand this."

"Why the hell would I understand that you think you can fly?" Nathan snapped pissed. His phone began to ring.

"Because you're my brother."

Nathan felt a hint of guilt for his brother, but the moment he saw the number on his phone annoyance ran through his veins. "Mom I can't talk ri—"

"What?" Peter asked nervous when Nathan went dead silent.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." He bit back a curse when he hung up.

"What happened now?"

"She got arrested."

"Arrested for what?"

"Shoplifting."

* * *

"I'm so depressed." Claire announced as she walked with Zach down the dirt road to his bike.

"What?" Zach asked confused at her statement out of the blue. "What are you talking about? Why?"

Claire gave him a look that said, 'really'.

"Okay besides the fact that this," he pointed at the recording he had of her failing off the bridge of the plant, "is so gross that it almost made me fudge myself. This is like the single most coolest thing that has happened in this town in like a hundred years."

"Not if nobody finds out."

Zach looked at her confused. "Why did you want me to tape this?"

"I have my reasons." Claire answered mysteriously and sparking Zach's curiosity.

"It's not like you're not going to be popular anymore." He crouched down to unlock his bike.

"Popular." Her voice drew his gaze to her. "Who said anything about being popular? My life as I know it is over. I've got the Bishop game next week, SATs in October and Homecoming is in three weeks from today." Her voice rose with anger. "And I'm a freak show!"

"You're being a little over dramatic, don't you think?" He told her calmly.

"No! I don't think so."

He glanced at her stomach confused at something that seemed to be sticking out before looking back at her.

"I have broken every bone in my body! Stabbed myself in the chest! Had a two foot steel rod through my neck! And I don't have a scratch on me!" She stomped her foot.

Through her tantrum Zach still remained calm, but sympathetic. "What do you call that thing sticking out?"

Claire lifted her shirt to see two cracked ribs sticking out. No wonder she had continued to feel discomfort as she walked and had forgotten about the dull pain as she took her frustration out on Zach. Without another word she pushed the bones back into her body, hissing for moment until the bones cracked into place healing.

Zach winced, but then watched transfixed as the skin healed instantly. A part of him couldn't understand why she made a big deal out of her ability. It shouldn't keep her from enjoying life. When she looked at him he quickly looked the other way.

"Just give me the tape." She snapped her bloody fingers at him as he rushed to comply with her demand. Once she had the tape she began to walk away.

"I can give you a ride on my handle bars." Zach offered. He wasn't freaked out enough to not be polite or want to stay away from her. It still amazed him how someone so normal looking could have such an extraordinary gift…if only she could see that.

Claire sighed before turning to face him. "Look…thanks for everything. I'll talk to you in front of people at school tomorrow." She offered weakly when she saw the hurt in his gaze before he looked down. She hadn't always been this way. She used to be sweeter and laughed more. Someone dear to her had once dubbed her his bundle of joy, but she hadn't seen him for almost four years and the last time she talked to him was almost two years ago. And yet his gifts arrived every birthday and Christmas, but it wasn't the same. Looking at Zach made her realize that more than anything she missed him and wished to talk to him. "Promise."

Zach knew that she was making an attempt to be friendly, his only response was meeting her gaze and smiling.

She turned her back on him and began to walk away.

"Claire!"

Claire looked over her shoulder at him.

"Don't let this ruin you."

He had no idea how close to home those words hit. If only they had met earlier maybe then those words would have made more on an impact, but now they simply rang hollow for her, she was fighting between the brink of sanity and insanity, not knowing when to stop and having no one to turn to. _"Gabriel." _Her mind called for the one person she needed most at the moment.

* * *

_**Gabriel 'Sylar' Gray**_

_**New York**_

"Achoo! Sylar sneezed just as Eden answered her phone causing her to chuckle.

"Someone is thinking about you." She said in a sing-song voice.

"Don't change the subject woman. I don't pay you to answer on the third ring. You're supposed to answer me on the first."

"You don't pay me Sylar."

"It's the principle that matters."

"Is there a reason as to why you have called?"

"You're no fun." He sighed. "Noah wanted me to inform you that you have to stay at the apartment in case anyone shows up at Suresh's place."

"This is a bummer. I was so badly hoping for a vacation."

"You do this right and I'll request a paid vacation for you." Sylar offered knowing how close she grew to Chandra Suresh over the months.

"Really?"

"I'll take it personally to Bob or Angela."

"It's a deal…so have you gotten any closer in catching Lucifer?"

His hand grasping the phone tightened. "The bastard knows how to cover his tracks well."

"Tell me about it. Noah had been going ballistic over the case until Angela had to pull him out and give it to you."

"Have you found any more files concerning Subject Zero in Suresh's files?"

"I sent you all the ones I came across."

"If you find anything don't hesitate to call me."

"I won't." She promised. "…If anyone is able to stop and capture him it's you."

"Thank you my pet." Sylar smirked. "Remind me to feed you when we meet again."

"A free meal…" Anyone else would have taken insult, but Eden had been under Sylar and Noah's guidance. She was used to the older man's name calling. "I like the sound of that. I'll hold you to it."

Sylar hanged up the phone and turned all his concentration back on the file before him. Beside it laid an empty cassette tape that read, 'Subject Zero' and an answer machine. It had been a month since Angela handed him the case and Sylar was struggling to find a pattern. He knew the man only killed those with abilities in order to take them. Sylar would think it was only for the power, but the man thrived in the kill. He took the time to write his name on the walls with his victim's blood, tore the brain to pieces as if digging for something and left the bodies bruised and battered. He enjoyed torturing them before killing them…as if giving the victim the chance to prove their self-worth, to prove themselves worthy of having their powers by begging for their life. But none of them seem to pass his test for all of them have died.

His hands clenched his fists, his knuckles going white as his eyes traced over the gruesome photos, taking in every detail. There had to be a pattern, but the way he was jumping around across the nation made it difficult to keep track of. _"Suresh had a list…but he had taken it down and burned it…I need that list."_ He needed to get into the mind of the killer. Sylar rewinded the tape on the answer machine and pressed play.

"_**Hello Chandra." **_A voice that sent chills down one's spine echoed through the room. _**"Why won't you talk to me? You can't leave me like this."**_

"_**Hello." **_Chandra's voice cut into the message. _**"Lucifer, I asked you not to call here anymore." **_Even though his voice sounded cool and collected Sylar could hear the hint of fear in his voice.

"_**The hunger," **_Lucifer said ignoring his last statement. Those two words had caught Sylar's attention since the first time he heard them. _**"It's…I can't control it. I don't want to." **_There was a hint of amusement in his voice that sparked Sylar's curiosity. Maybe he could use his own power against him. Lure him into a trap, but how…who would be willing? _**"You made me this way." **_

"_**I made you a murder?"**_ The disbelief in Chandra's voice was as clear as day.

"_**Yes, how could you not? You're a huge factor. You helped me discover my potential."**_ For a moment there was silence, but Sylar could hear the faint sound of breathing that one could have avoided if they weren't paying close attention and he had listened to the tape enough times to know that this was not where it ended. "_**You wanted to see what I can do as much as I did and now you want to stop."**_ A dark chuckle filled with malicious intent echoed through the room.

"_**It's over."**_ Chandra's voice cut through the laughter. He tried to sound brave and in control, but Sylar could still hear the fear as an underlining. Would he able to use himself as bate to lure Lucifer into a trap? But even so it wouldn't guarantee that Lucifer would come for him.

The door to his temporary office opened. "Sylar."

He looked up to see Thompson frowning. "What's wrong?"

"The son of a bitch strikes again."

Sylar felt his stomach drop. "Where?"

"Barstow, California."

"That's four fucking states away from where he last attacked!" Sylar snapped.

"I know." Thompson looked at him sympathetically knowing how serious Sylar took his job. For every death he held himself accountable. "Angela wants you to be on the scene."

"Angela…" He glanced him. "Where is she right now?"

"You don't want to know."

"Humor me…I really need it right now."

"She's been arrested for shoplifting."

Sylar simply raised a brow not knowing whether to be highly amused or worried.

"She called Nathan and Peter to get her."

This time he knew that it was okay to smile.

* * *

_**Hiro Nakamura**_

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

Hiro sat by his desk staring at his clock mentally preparing himself. With a deep breath he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and staring intently at his clock. As seconds ticked by his gaze did not waver, his eyes became watery, his brows scrounged up in concentration and his body trembled with effort as his mind stirred conjuring up an image of invisible hands grabbing the yellow stick and pulling with all his might until… _"There!" _It stopped. He smiled, it quiverrd and ticked back one second before resuming its normal rhythm. "Yes!" Hiro exclaimed jumping from his seat in excitement. "I did it!" He yelled as he ran out his tiny office cubicle and down the aisle until he reached his best friend Ando.

Ando hearing his approach quickly minimized the screen of a blonde giving a strip tease on a bed and grabbed his pencil pretending to be scribbling something down as if he was working. "What now?" He asked looking at Hiro as if he had disturbed him.

"I've broken the space/time continuum!"

"Good for you." Ando said seeming uninterested as he continued to work.

"My clock." Hiro continued not noticing that Ando was barely paying attention. "I was able to make it go back a second, using only my mind, my thoughts."

"Too bad you're not paid by the hour then you'd be on to something."

"I'm serious…" His voice trails off as he remembered something that happened in the morning. "This explains the subway this morning."

Ando glanced at him. "It was only fourteen seconds late."

"The train is never late!"

"Until you made it late." Ando said trying to indulge him. "With your mind."

"Yes." Hiro smiled feeling confident. "I have discovered powers beyond any mere mortal."

"Right." Ando snickered. "You and Spock."

"Yes!" Hiro pointed at him glad that he finally got him. "Like Spock!"

Without warning their boss appears walking by them and grabbed Hiro by the scruff of his shirt, while yelling at him furiously that he's not working.

"Use your 'death grip' Spock!" Ando yelled as he poked his head out of his cubicle failing horribly at not smiling. "The 'death grip'!" He chuckled before turning back to his computer and clicking on the box which he had minimized earlier to see the same blonde on the bed.

* * *

Angela Petrelli sat calmly inside a small interrogation room looking at her ring with her purse on her lap when a police officer opened the door to let in Nathan and Peter.

"For God sakes Ma." Nathan hissed at his mom in greeting.

Upon seeing his mother Peter kissed her on the cheek and looked at her worried. "Are you okay?"

She waved his concern off. "They dropped the charges." She glanced at Nathan. "I have to fill out a form. It's no big deal."

"No big deal?" Nathan disbelief coated his tone. "Do you have any idea what this could do to me if this gets out with our family's past? And what could you have possibly need so badly that you had to steal?" He shook his head feeling disgusted. They had money, she had money and even if she didn't he would gladly give it to her. "Nevermind, I don't even want to know."

"Socks." Angela said simply as Peter took a seat on the empty chair beside her. She placed her hand over his.

"Socks…" He turned to her angry. "Dad left you a fortune! What are you thinking? It's been one ridiculous stunt after another with you for the last six months. Dad's gone." Nathan said finally addressing what he believed to be the root of the problem. "Just get over it!"

Peter having enough of Nathan raising his voice at their mom and her holding his hand for support cut in. "Just leave her alone." A small smile graced Angela's lips. "She's okay that's all that matters."

"I have to keep this out of the press." Nathan took out his cell phone.

Peter stood up from his seat and opened the door. "You know what, just get out of here. Go worry about your image, I'll handle this."

For a moment Nathan looked at Angela. "Yeah." He looked back at Peter. "I have to make sure this stays buried. Thanks a lot Ma." Nathan said in farewell as he strode out of the room.

Angela waved bye to him cheerfully.

Peter closed the door and crouched down by his mom. "What were you thinking?" He asked concerned.

"I just wanted to feel alive again." She pressed her forehead against his affectionately. It was more to comfort him than for her, a part of her felt guilty whenever she made Peter worry.

"Nathan cares only for himself." He commented as they stepped out the room.

"Your father was the same way. Alpha dogs the both of them." Angela had him help her put her coat on. "While you for all your selflessness, sitting with dying people. You going to retire with all you make?"

"Maybe I'll start shoplifting my socks." He teased.

"Don't get smart." She bit back a smile. "When you put everyone first, you end up last. You always put Nathan first he took advantage."

"Wasn't it you that was pushing him right in front of me?"

"He takes up more space than you." She said not ashamed. "Demanded more attention and besides it's not my fault you allowed it."

"He's my brother. I love him."

"Love is overrated."

"He loves me too. I know it. We've always been close."

"Rose colored glasses."

"That's cruel mom." Peter stopped walking down the stairs feeling hurt.

Angela turned to face him remembering that Peter wasn't Nathan. He was more sentimental than his older brother.

"Look since dad died I know you've been feeling free to speak your mind, but it wouldn't hurt to edit yourself every once in a while."

"I'm sorry if the truth hurts." She said sincerely. "I'm just saying you hero-worshipped him and those feelings were never returned."

"You're wrong. It's biological, I can't help it. We're connected."

Angela remained silent as she combed through his hair.

"I never told you this, but when Nathan had his accident I knew."

"We all got the same call."

"No, I knew it before I got the call. It was like he was telling me three hundred miles away. I woke up and I knew he had been hurt."

Angela looked at her son worried before playfully slapping his face and walked down the stairs ending the conversation.

* * *

Flames licked the over turned train, smoke filled the air turning it dark, making it hard to breathe and temperature unbearably hot. Firefighters fought in vain against the flames, no matter how much water they put the fire would not weaken.

"How hot do you think it is in there?"

Zach looked at her confused until he handed him the tape.

"Turn on your camera."

"Are you sure?" Zach asked grabbing the tape and putting it in the camera.

"Positive." Claire ducked under wooden barrier the cops had put up in order to keep the civilians out. In a crouched position she made a mad dash toward the train while avoiding both the cops and firefighters. She entered the burning compartment and as smoke filled her lungs, burning them, forcing her to cough and making it harder to breathe she wondered what she was doing. For a moment she thought it was a nightmare with the world around her going up in flames, but the lack of oxygen, her eyes burning with tears, the fire searing her skin grounded her to the reality of the situation.

It was by chance or maybe fate that as she looked around the flames to her left lowered only for a moment and she saw a man laying against some boxes. Blood coated his forehead, his flesh was a vivid red as it burned due to the heat. Seeing the man in pain had Claire jumping through the flames to get to him. Once beside him she was able to lift the box that pinned his foot and help sustain his weight when he leaned against her as they walked out the train. When a small wave of flames burst toward them Claire shielded them with her arm. She barely paid any attention to the flames that licked her arm burning her uniform sleeve as she helped the man climb up toward the exit.

"Scotty!" One of the firemen yelled dropping his hose when he caught sight of them trying to run from the flames. "Scotty, come on!" The fireman standing a few feet from him dropped his own hose and ran toward them.

Before she knew what was happening one of the fireman had her in his arms with his jacket wrapped around her and laying her on the floor, stopping the flames. "I'm okay! I'm fine!" When her words were ignored she pointed at the man she helped out the fire. "Take care of him!"

"Take it easy." The fireman told her soothingly as he removed his jacket and tore at her sleeve expecting to see severe burns, but was caught off guard when the skin appeared unmarred as if her arm had never been on fire. "There's no burns."

Claire looked at him defensively even as her heart pounded rapidly within her chest fearing what may happen next when the man put all the facts together.

"Simon! Get over here!"

The fireman that had been looking at Claire's arm was distracted by his Scotty's panic yell for him and ran to him.

Seeing her chance for escape, Claire got up and ran as if her life depended on it. The greater the distance began the less heavier her heart began to feel and the dread slowly bled away.

* * *

_**Isaac Mendez**_

_**New York**_

Isaac in a state of panic opened a fresh can of black paint. _"It can't be…" _Dipping his hand in, he turned to one of his painting and slapped his paint filled hand over it. Spreading the black paint, distorting the painting. _"How could I?"_ His mind screamed denial, but the painting in front of him glared with truth. No matter how fast he moved his hand it wasn't fast enough.

"Hey!"

He froze hearing the voice of his girlfriend, he found himself not being able to return her greeting. She was going to be disappointed in him again and just for a moment he wondered why she put up with him when this wasn't the first time he failed them. Just as quickly as the thought came it drifted away with his accursed paintings taking main priority again.

"Giving me the silent treatment again?" Simone asked amused as she approached him.

Isaac grabbed the bucket of paint and dumped it over the painting before grabbing it and moving across the room with Simone right at his heels.

"What's wrong?" Her concern slowly gave way to anger when he continued to ignore her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Just as he was about to dump another bucket of black paint on a portrait she stepped in between them. "Stop. Are you crazy?"

"Clearly." It was then she saw the desperation and panic in his gaze. "I don't remember painting these."

She looked at him confused.

"I was high." He admitted the words feeling bitter on his tongue as guilt crept on him when she cursed. "I've been using for a month."

"Then get yourself into a program and make it stick this time." She snapped looking at his painting. "…These are fantastic."

"They're evil."

"What are you talking about?"

Isaac walked across the room and pulled out a portrait. "What am I talking about!" He shoved the things off his table furiously and placed it there. "You see this," he pointed at it, "Suicide bombing in Israel."

Simone reached for it not knowing what to think. "Yeah, so?"

"I painted it three weeks ago." He grabbed the newspaper and handed it to her. "It was on today's paper. Look at the number on the bus."

She all ready knew that it was going to be the same number, but she couldn't stop herself from checking and once it was confirmed she still had no idea what to say.

"It happened yesterday." A humorless chuckle racked his body. _"Maybe I am going insane."_ "Yesterday." He turned away not being able to stand the pity in her gaze. "Something is wrong with me."

"We'll get you help Isaac." She said not knowing exactly who of the two she was trying to convince more.

"I tried that twice. It didn't work." He said shooting her idea down. "There's only one way."

"You can't go cold turkey." She pleaded. "Not alone— I mean let me help you please."

"No!"

"I love you damn it!"

Hearing the desperation in her voice was almost his undoing. He wanted to tell her that he did as well, but if he truly loved her he would let her go and not drag her down with him. "You can't. I refuse to drag you down with me. Just leave me alone." His tone left no room for argument and yet she still moved closer to him. She crouched down beside him, her hand reached for him and he wanted nothing more than to feel her touch, but couldn't because he needed her to leave. His need must always outweigh his want. "Get out of here!" He yelled at her not being able to look at her, not able to see the hurt in her tear-filled eyes.

She raised her hands in surrender and stood up.

"Now!" He yelled barely able to look at her for a few seconds before looking away. He could hear the sound of her retreating footsteps as he curled up clenching his teeth in pain. It was starting. The news broadcasting from the TV caught his attention, a train derailment that went up in flames in Odessa, Texas. He remembered seeing that somewhere…his gaze wandered to the painting next to it to see the same exact image. The flames licking the train. _"What is happening with me?"_

* * *

"Mom's rap sheet is finally under wraps, it only took half of my political capital to pull it off." Nathan informed Peter as he took a seat. "Why can't Mom find a hobby?" He sighed feeling tired.

"They were married for forty one years. It's a plea for attention, she's lonely. Give her some time."

"I don't have time. I have eight days to make up ten points and I need all the help I can get, which is what I want to talk you to about. I want to offer you a job."

"A job?" Peter looked at him skeptical knowing that it wasn't something that simple, there was always strings attached to an offer especially when it came from Nathan.

"Yeah." Nathan pulled out the chair beside Peter and took a seat. "I trust you and your good with people. I need a coordinator to organize the volunteers. You have nice guy instincts and I can use that." He held Peter's gaze calmly. "I'm a shark Pete and everybody knows it...it's starting to show up in the polls. I bring you on and it kind of reflects well on me, you know what I mean?"

And there it was! Peter forced a smile. "Oh, I make you look good. That's a new one."

"Well it makes it look like I put family first."

He tried hard not to glare at his brother or feel annoyed. It seemed like the whole day they had been arguing and maybe they have, but it was getting hard not to with Nathan these last few days.

"I know that sounds self serving." Nathan placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "This is for you too, you have to think of your future."

Peter knew he could have let the matter drop and just walk out, but instead he found himself pursuing his older brother. Anger slowly clawed at him. Why did Nathan have to always push his buttons? Why couldn't his mother and him understand that he was fine with his job. That he felt he was making a difference by helping with the transition between life and death, just by being there for them, holding their hand and making sure they would not want for anything at death's bed. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make it try and look like this has something to do with me. You didn't hear anything I said earlier today, did you?"

"That you can fly." Nathan looked at him amused. "I did, but I am going to pretend for both our sakes that you didn't say that. I'm trying to do the right thing here."

"_For you."_ Peter wanted to say instead he bit his tongue. There was no point in reasoning with Nathan when he had his mind set. "I all ready have a job."

"Yeah watching old people die now there's a career."

He had to mentally count to ten to keep from snapping back at him.

"It's not cute anymore, the dreamy kid sitting at the back of the classroom staring out the window. It's time for you to grow up."

Nathan had no idea just how much those words hurt Peter. He had grown up and worked his ass off to get where he was without having his dad pay for his education. He was living within his means and off the money he made instead of his own inheritance.

"I know I cast big shadow, but life isn't fair and there's nothing I can do about that." Nathan placed his hands on his shoulders as if to offer some comfort. "I'm trying to do the right thing by helping you out."

"I don't want your pity." Peter shrugged his hands off and stepped away. "And your right life isn't fair and you can't always get what you want. Find someone else to be a coordinator." This time it was Peter who didn't give him a chance to respond and turned his back on him.

Nathan watched him walk away with a frown. Perhaps he might have taken it too far, but he was never known for going after people and taking his words back. Even if the person he hurt was someone he loved dearly. There was no time to show weakness especially now with him being the figure head to the Petrelli family and running for senator. He'll make it up to Peter later…someway.

* * *

Just as Peter exited the building he caught sight of Simone across the street trying to catch a cab. For a moment he thought he could relate to the pain in her gaze and wanted to call out to her, but the moment slipped passed his fingertips when a cab stopped in front of her and as she got in. So he slipped on his sunglasses and hailed a cab. "Corner of Center and Penle, please." He said to the driver as he slipped in. When he leaned back to rest his head the beginning of a solar eclipse caught his attention. "Wow."

The taxi driver glanced at the rear mirror to see what caught his passenger's attention only to see him looking at the sky. "Solar eclipse?"

"Yeah, I wonder if it's going to be total." Peter slipped his sunglasses off.

"Not here, but in some other part in the world. A global invent, makes us appreciate how small our planet really is. But we're all quite small, aren't we?"

The philosophical nature of his comment caught Peter's interest. "What's your name?"

"Mohinder."

"I'm Peter."

Maybe he would understand. "May I ask you something Mohinder?"

He nodded.

"Do you ever get the feeling like you were meant to…do something extraordinary?"

"I'm driving a cab."

"I'm not talking about what you do. I'm talking about…who you are…about being special."

"Yes, we are all special."

The hope that maybe Peter could find someone to relate to or enlighten him a bit about how he was feeling wilted away. "That's not what I meant."

Mohinder looked at the rearview mirror once more to see that Peter seemed bothered by his words. He wasn't just someone trying to keep a conversation going, but someone who seemed to be looking for answers. "Some individuals more so than others are believe to be special. This is natural selection as it's finest. It begins as a single individual born or hatched like any other member of their species, anonymous and seemingly ordinary except they're not."

Peter leaned forward curiously.

"They carry inside them the genetic code that will take their species to the next evolutionary era. It's destiny."

Neither Peter nor Mohinder knew how true those words rang.

* * *

A young girl has permanently placed on a stoic face but inside she feared what the future might hold for her as she walked by the train tracks. A boy trailed slightly behind her trying to keep up with her while he pulled his bike along. "You saved that guy's life! He's okay because of you!" She rolled her eyes upward not knowing if she was going to snap at him or ignore him when she caught sight of the eclipse and stopped walking. Her problems faded away and seemed so small as she looked upon it…offering some comfort.

A young Japanese man, wanting more from life looked forward toward the future knowing that great things lay head for him. Disinterestedly he followed the mandatory exercises that got the blood flowing with his co-workers. But soon he got bored with it and stopped, he wanted his journey to start all ready. His best friend tried to get his attention. Shade came over them suddenly and had him looking up to see an eclipse. Maybe this was a sign. A small smile graced his lips, he was ready.

A man rushed toward his apartment, his mind plagued with making plans on how to get a serial killer. Time was running out, he would strike again after Barstow, but where? Just as he was about to pull out his keys to enter the apartment complex he looked up. All thoughts of catching a killer ceased to be as he looked up at the eclipse. For the first time in months he felt a sense of calm.

A young man sat in the back of a cab with his head tilted back so he can look at the eclipse. He wondered if maybe…perhaps he was destined for something greater. Would that explain the dreams?

A man who knew he could paint the future, but had no idea how to call upon such ability without using, sweated profusely and withered in pain. His gaze trained on the syringe and bended spoon. The need to grab it and end the pain, the withdrawal clawed at him, but he simply pressed against the wall and curled more into himself. He needed a reprieve, his gaze strayed to the open window where the only source of light and cool wind was coming from. The sight that greeted him took his breath away and forced the pain to the back of his mind as he beheld the beauty in front of him, the beauty he had pained weeks ago, the eclipse.

* * *

Just as Sylar slipped the key into the lock and turned it he could hear rapid footsteps approaching the door. He wasn't able to even set a foot into his apartment when he opened the door before he was assault with nudges, paws and licks at his hands as he petted his dogs on the head. "Miss me?"

The German Shepherd whined before walking behind Sylar and nudging him behind the legs to go inside the apartment.

But Sylar was stuck because his Border Collie with a slick black and white coat and pale blue eyes had her front paws on his thighs and looked up at him giving him puppy eyes. He knew instantly something was up because usually she would be trying to lick him nonstop to show how much he missed him, but right now it seemed like she didn't want him going in just yet. If dogs could talk Sylar had no doubt she would be trying to tell him something. "Sasha, we have to go in before Dom gets mad."

As if to prove his master's words Dominic growled.

"Let's go." Sylar scratched Sasha behind her fully dropped ears before lightly pushing her paws off and walking inside his apartment. "Did you two behave?"

Dominic snorted.

He looked over his shoulder to see what appeared to be a grin on Dominic, while Sasha whined and laid on the floor. "What did you do?" Her paws came to rest on her snout as if trying to hide or embarrassed. Sylar looked around the kitchen and then the living room to see everything in order except for the occasion chew toy on the floor. Neither had seemed to use the bathroom inside, which he was immensely grateful and prideful that he trained them well.

It wasn't until he entered the small hallway he knew something wasn't right. His apartment consisted of two bedrooms and one bathroom. One of the bedrooms was for his dogs, which he always left the door open so they could come in and go as they pleased and the other was his, he never leaves his bedroom door open. But glaring right at him was his open bedroom door. It was then he knew why Sasha was embarrassed. When she didn't get any attention she would throw a tantrum by ruining furniture in general, but he was able to discipline her not to do that and made sure either Thompson, Noah (when he wasn't busy and happened to be in New York visiting Angela), or someone from the Company (preferably Eden) would take them out when he was on an assignment and make sure they had food. But this time who's ever turn it was did not heed to his instruction of taking Dominic and Sasha to the park and said person had walked into his bedroom and didn't have the decency of at least closing the door after they were finished snooping around.

A quick scan of the room showed they hadn't taken anything and even if they did it was of no importance because he made sure not keep anything important in his apartment. One can never be too sure about those types of things. Although his bed sheets were ripped and left on the floor carelessly and his pillows seemed to be victims of a dissection gone wrong with all the feathers scattered on the floor and bed, the good thing was that nothing else seemed out of place, so Sasha had only taken her frustration out on the bed. He opened the door to the bathroom looking for any clues of who it could have been that entered his domain. And there it was right on the sink, his eyes zeroed in on it. A single long strand of blonde hair, there was one person he knew that had that type of hair and he didn't need fucking forensics to tell him who it was. Sylar picked up the strand and lit it on fire feeling pissed that she would dare come into his bedroom. "Fucking Elle." He should have expected it from her considering they had constantly been at each other's throats after he found out that she had been spying on Claire when he wasn't around and Eden caught her in the act and had to kick her ass for it.

The sound of footsteps followed by a bark broke through the multiple ways he had been thinking of scaring the living daylights out of Elle and installing the fear of God in her. Sylar looked out the bathroom to see Dominic sitting upright by his bed, while Sasha stood outside his bedroom with her head down. He sighed as he took a seat on his bed and petted Dom on the head. "Come here Sasha." He motioned with his other hand for her to approach and she did so hesitantly. It was only until he placed his hand on her head did she look up at him. "I can't really blame you for this and no matter how much I would like to blame Elle for leaving the door open you're my responsibility and I haven't really been here for Dom and you these last couple of months. Who is to say that you wouldn't have wrecked the couch instead?"

Sasha nuzzled his hand and licked it, while Dominic sighed and put his head on Sylar's lap.

"I have to go away again."

Sasha and Dominic were familiar with that phrase. Their heads instantly snapped up and they stepped away from him.

"Come on, don't be that way." He tried to reason with them as Dom looked at him accusingly and Sasha looked hurt. "I may not be able to take you with me, but I won't leave you alone either. I'm going to send you to a friend's house and then I'll come pick you up personally when I'm done with the assignment." He got up and took out a picture for his drawer.

Both Dominic and Sasha were very acquainted with the picture. Their owner would at least show it to them four times a week and pointed at each person in the photo saying their name and telling them how they must treat them if they ever meet. The woman holding a small dog, they are in charge of looking after both of them and keeping her company. The girl (who their owner seemed to have a soft spot for) must be protected no matter what. The boy, they are allowed to mess around with. The only one they have crossed paths with a few times was the man with the horn-rimmed glasses, the one they must obey unless their owner tells them otherwise.

"You're going be staying with them." Sylar placed the photo back in the drawer before pulling out a luggage bag and placing it on the bed. He grabbed a few pairs of jeans along with some slacks and placed them inside. While he walked to the closet and searched for which t-shirts and formal shirts to wear Dominic jumped onto the bed and pulled out the clothing from the luggage bag. Sylar with his hands filled with shirts turned around just in time to see a pair of jeans in Dominic's mouth and Sasha had all ready grabbed the bag with her teeth and yanked it off the bed. If it had been anyone else Sylar would have been pissed at their antics, but since they were his dogs, he spoiled them like crazy and let them have their own way at times, it was his own fault. He dumped his shirts on the bed and simply raised an eyebrow giving them the look.

Sasha whimpered, while Dominic continued to rebel by biting one of his owner's t-shirt and dragging it across the bed where he sat on it.

"Now that's not fair."

Dominic barked.

"So now you decide to throw a tantrum."

He bared his teeth.

"You better change that tone with me."

He became silent and stared.

"The both of you have to understand." He glanced between his dogs. "Lives depend on me and every second I waste I could be getting closer to stopping him. I promise after all this is done I'll request a week off. I'll take you out, we'll go shopping and I'll buy you your favorite snacks."

Dominic remained unmoved, but it was Sasha who dragged the luggage bag to his feet and nudged his leg. Not waiting for Sylar to pet her she jumped on the bed and growled at Dominic who barked at her in return. She snarled and he whined knowing it was a lost cause, their owner would leave with or without their approval. Without hesitation she head butted him and caused Dominic to tumble off the bed. Sasha grabbed the shirt and gave it back to Sylar.

Sylar knew without a doubt he was not taking that shirt, but it was the thought that count. "That's a good girl." He patted her head before he put the shirt to the side and began finishing packing. Once he was done he turned to Dominic who had yet to pick himself off the ground. "There's no need to pout, let's go get your things ready." Sylar pulled out his phone and dialed Sandra's number as he motioned for Dominic to follow him.

On the third ring she answered. "Hello."

"Hey Sandra." He greeted as he walked into Dominic and Sasha's room.

"Sylar is that you?"

"Gosh Sandra I don't know whether to be insulted that you would confuse this amazingly swoon worthy voice with anyone else's." He smirked as he opened a drawer and pulled out two sleeveless hoodie. One was black and the other light grey.

"Excuse me Mr. Gray for being confused, but you seem to have stopped calling for over two years."

Dominic shook his head at the black one and Sylar put in back in the drawer before putting the light grey one on Dominic. "I didn't mean to, but I've been really busy. I thought Noah would inform you that I am doing well."

"He has informed that you're still alive and kicking over buckets of mayhem."

"I do no such thing."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?"

"What other reason is there?"

"I'm not dumb enough to believe that Noah didn't tell you about Claire's crush on you and you stopped coming over because he didn't want you around her until she got over it."

"That's partially the reason and I still called when I had the chance, but then I became busy."

"With what?"

"Work and making a family for myself."

"Family…" Sandra gasped. "You're married! Why wasn't I invited? Why didn't Noah tell me?"

"Because it never happened."

"What do you mean it never happened?"

"I haven't gotten married."

"Please tell me that at least you're living with the girl."

"Nope. She didn't seem interested when I got full custody of the little ones all I had to pay for was the paperwork."

"Oh my God…" Her voice trailed off.

Sylar bit his lip to keep from laughing as he packed Dominic and Sasha's favorite chew toys along with a few balls, Dominic's K-9 unit vest that Eden bought for him two months ago. As he moved around the room he didn't notice Sasha dragging his luggage bag to the living room. He made sure to grab her red shirt with white long sleeves and her black hat before packing in her blue hooded shirt.

"So, I know that you didn't call for a simple hello." She said changing the topic.

"Guilty as charged. I wanted to call in a huge favor." He opened another drawer and took out their collars and leashes.

"You know I'd gladly help if it's within my means."

"Can my little ones stay with you for a week?"

"Of course! When will you drop them off?"

"Will tonight be okay?"

"Sure. I'll talk to Lyle and Claire about sharing their rooms."

"Thank you so much Sandra."

"It's not a problem. I want to see if the little ones are good looking."

"Of course they are. They take after me."

"It seems your ego hasn't deflated over the years."

"How you wound me."

"What about their school?"

"They're homeschooled and I have already informed their tutors."

"Okay then and there names?"

"Dominic and Sasha."

"Are they twins?" She asked excited.

"No, they are a year apart."

"What time do I have to be at the airport to pick them up tonight?"

"Don't worry I'll have someone accompany them and drop them off to you."

"You're not coming over?"

"Unfortunately no, I'm needed in California."

"Okay then I was hoping that you would."

"You miss me?"

"Everyone does here…especially Claire."

Sylar stopped moving around when he heard the sadness in Sandra's tone when she mentioned her daughter. "Are the both of you okay?"

"I'm fine, but Claire seems more distant lately these past few months. She worries me."

"Does Noah about this?"

"He might, but he hasn't brought it up to me and I don't want to bring it up to him in case it's just a phase."

"What do you think?"

"It might be more than a phase. When I try to get her to open up she just closes herself off more now. The red ball you gave her all those years ago lies on her desk collecting dust. I haven't seen her play with it."

Sylar frowned worried. "She is a teenager now."

"I saw her play with it earlier this year. She would throw it around, everywhere she went she had it with her in arms length. Now it just sits on her desk."

"After this assignment I'll visit and have a talk with her."

"I don't want to for—"

"You're not." Sylar cut her off reassuring her. "This visit is long overdue and not just for Claire, but also for you and Lyle."

"Don't forget Mr. Muggles."

"How can anyone forget Mr. Muggles?"

Sandra chuckled. "Thank you for calling Sylar. I have really missed you."

"Likewise."

"Now I have something more interesting to tell my kids during dinner than Mr. Muggles not being breed worthy material."

"The sky must be falling if Mrs. Bennet admits that something is far more interesting than anything concerning Mr. Muggles."

"Keep pushing them buttons Sylar and see what happens the next we meet."

"I can't wait."

"Take care Sylar."

"You too and send my greeting to Claire and Lyle."

"I will." She hung up.

Sylar placed the phone back in his pocket. "Sasha!" He followed her bark toward the living room to see her sitting by his luggage. He placed the dogs' luggage on the other side of her. "Aren't you a good girl?" Sylar crouched down in front of her a ruffled her fur affectionately before putting the red shirt with long white sleeves and the black hat on her. Then he grabbed her red collar and snapped it on. "Dominic!"

Dominic ran towards him and stopped beside him.

Sylar snapped his black collar on him. "Now I just need to get your bowls and food and we're good to go."

A knock on the door had Dominic and Sasha running toward the door without him having to say a word they made space for him to open the door.

"Woah." Thompson said when he saw Dominic and Sasha dressed and ready to go. "Are they going with you?"

"Sadly I can't take them. They're going to Bennet's house."

"You called him?"

"Nope. I called his wife and asked her permission."

"You're just asking for him to shoot you."

"He owes me one." Sylar made his way toward the kitchen and took out four new dog bowls before placing them in the dog's luggage along with their food.

"You ready?"

"Yep." He responded clipping their leashes to their collars. "You want to walk the dogs or help with the luggage?"

"I'll take the luggage."

Once outside Sylar locked the door. "I'm going to need you to call someone to look for available properties."

"You plan to move? How come?"

"Too many people know where I live."

"Aren't you being a little paranoid?"

"No, it's always better to be safe than sorry…Elle also used my bathroom and left my bedroom door open giving Sasha the opportunity to trash my bed."

Thompson let out a low whistle. "Want me to tell her you're pissed?"

"I'll deal with her in my own way when the time comes."

"So who's taking Dominic and Sasha?"

"Has Noah left?"

"Not yet I think he was sent to deliver a message to Suresh Jr."

"Who?"

"Chandra's son. He ended up appearing at his father's apartment."

"Interesting, maybe he can help us find the list that Lucifer ended up stealing from his father."

"He burned it remember. Eden tried to savage it, but it was too late."

"I know, but someone like him…he's bound to have a backup."

* * *

"Let's say you really do have the power to break the space/time continuum. What do you do with it? Join the circus? No one ever got laid by stopping the second hand of the clock."

Hiro smiled at him confidently. "As I develop my powers, I'll learn to bend space too. Then I can teleport myself anywhere on the planet."

"Like Star Trek?"

"Exactly like Star Trek!" Hiro stared off into the distance. "Every hero must learn his purpose. Then he'll be tested and called to greatness."

"I think I need a stiff drink." Ando muttered feeling a headache coming along. "Beam us up Scotty!" He grinned.

Once they found some empty seats at a table in the Karaoke bar Hiro continued with his explanation. "Most people perceive time as a straight line, always going forward. Like this." He dipped a chopstick into the soy sauce and drew a straight line on his napkin. "But time is actually more like this…" He used his finger to smear the soy sauce into a circle.

"Where did you learn this?" Ando asked seriously.

"X-men no.143 when Kitty Pryde time travels…"

"A comic book?" He looked at him skeptical.

"Every ten-year-old on the planet secretly wishes for superpowers. And I got them! Me of all people. Last in class and sports. I'm not a loser anymore."

"Okay then, tell me one useful thing you can do with this power. Can you make money?"

Hiro shook his finger no. "A super hero doesn't use his power for self gain."

"Then what good is it for?" Ando leaned against his seat. "Can you teleport yourself into the women's restroom?"

Hiro glanced at the long line to get in.

"Now there's something useful. You might not learn your 'purpose' there, but you might learn something about life." He took a sip of his beer.

"Fine. If I had to I could teleport myself in the into the women's restroom."

"Great, then do it. I'll grab two more drinks." Ando got up and headed for the bar.

Hiro watched him go and then looked at the women's restroom. _"Why not?" _He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before snapping his eyes open and staring intently. A tugging sensation grasped hold of him.

* * *

Peter's cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Hello."

"Peter it's me."

"Hey, Simone…" Worry clawed at him when he heard how nervous she sounded as if any moment she might breakdown.

"Are you busy?"

"No I was just heading home."

"Can you meet me at my dad's?"

"Sure, I'll be there in like ten minutes."

"Please hurry…"

"Okay I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." He hung up. "I'll get down here please." He told Mohinder. Once the car stopped by the sidewalk Peter paid him.

Mohinder turned to look at him as he grabbed the money. He didn't know why, but he felt that perhaps this won't be the last time they meet.

* * *

Noah climbed into the cab that Peter Petrelli had barely got off from.

"Where to?" Mohinder asked watching him from the rearview mirror.

"JFK please." He gave him a friendly smile, but Mohinder felt a chill go down his spine at the smile and hairs on the back of his neck stood when he saw the cold and calculating look in his eyes. "Going home to my family." His voice broke through the uncomfortable silence between them. "These business trips are wearying me out." When Mohinder didn't say anything Noah continued. "Suresh?"

"I'm sorry?" Mohinder said startled not knowing how the man could know his last name when he hadn't told him.

"Your name…on your license there."

Mohinder glanced at it and tried to calm himself. _"How could I forget it was there?"_

"That's Indian?"

He looked at the rearview mirror.

"There was a professor Suresh in the University of Madras. Geneticist and had interesting theories, but I don't think he's teaching anymore."

Mohinder tried to remain calm looking for an opening to make an escape.

"You wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Probably a lot of Suresh's where you're from. Like Smith or Anderso—"

He took a sharp left turn cutting the man with horn-rimmed glasses off.

Noah remained calm as he grabbed the handle on the door and let his body go with the movement instead of tensing. When Mohinder slammed on the breaks Noah placed his hand against the plexiglas partition and bent his elbow slightly embracing against the impact. Just as he regained his bearings Mohinder was all ready running away. Noah stepped out of the cab calmly and watched him go. His assignment was done. The message had been delivered, the seed planted. His phone rang. "Hello."

"Are you done?"

"Of course. I was about to call my wife to inform her that I'll be home tonight."

"Good because I am waiting for you in JFK."

"Why?"

"Sylar wanted me to deliver something to you. He said you owed him."

"Be honest, am I going to like it?"

"Depends on the mood you're in."

"Thanks." Noah hanged up the phone and before calling his wife as he walked out the alley and into the busy street looking for a cab.

Less than an hour later he found himself pulling up to JFK.

"Noah!"

Noah looked over his shoulder to see Thompson carrying a luggage bag and holding the leashes to both Dominic and Sasha in one hand. He would have smiled at the sight if it wasn't for him knowing that Sylar dumped the care of his dogs on him.

"Sylar said the money is in the bag. It should cover the expenses for the dog and then some."

"He even dressed them up for the occasion."

"It's Sylar, what did you expect?"

* * *

"And then Carla had the nerve to tell me, he's not breed worthy." Sandra petted Mr. Muggles gently trying to comfort him, but Mr. Muggles was distracted by wanting to eat. "Like he didn't win five breed rallies, two regionals. Can you believe it?" She looked at Claire coming out the kitchen holding a plate of food. "It's just not true Mr. Muggles."

Claire placed the plate in front of her mother and then took a seat.

"Well it's not hard to believe." Lyle said. "He still humps my leg when I watch TV."

"All right enough about Mr. Muggles." Sandra dipped her finger in apple sauce and let Mr. Muggles lick it. "What everybody else do today?"

"Doug and I saw this Mexican guy, a homeless dude, on our way to school. We thought he was dead…but he wasn't."

Sandra looked at her son not knowing what to think about his story. It wasn't what she was expecting, but at least it was something. "What about you Claire? Do anything exciting today?"

Claire swallowed the food she had been eating and thought about what to say. _"What the hell."_ "I walked through fire and I didn't get hurt." She said feeling better about being able to say it out in the open. She looked at her mother waiting to see her reaction, what she thought about her daughter.

Sandra stopped feeding Mr. Muggles and looked at her daughter worried. It was an unusual thing to say. _"It must stand for something symbolic."_

Lyle noticed the serious expression on his mother's face and glared at his sister. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He asked annoyed. "God you're so crazy sometimes."

"Lyle." Sandra said in warning noticing how Claire flinched at her younger brother's choice of words.

"_Maybe I am crazy."_

"I think I know exactly what you mean." She told her daughter soothingly. "Here I am talking dogs again and you go say something really profound. We come up against all kinds of fires in our lives and when we test ourselves and face our fears we usually don't get burned." Sandra smiled at her daughter gently. "You are very wise sweetheart. Whatever it is you've done I'm proud of you and so it Mr. Muggles."

The words should have offered Claire comfort, but instead they felt cold and empty. _"What is happening with me?"_

"Before I forget, Sylar called."

Both Claire and Lyle looked at their mother surprised.

"What?" Claire asked weakly feeling her heart pound rapidly and her throat become dry. The feeling although exhilarating and frightening offered her comfort. It was a feeling she associated with him, a feeling that never changed over the years no matter how much she wished it had because he seemed to have forgotten about her.

"Mom that's something you should have told us since dinner began." Lyle looked at his mother in disbelief. "How's he doing? Why hasn't he logged on online to play some Halo? Is he coming over any time soon?"

"He's doing well even though he has been busy with work and says that he misses the both of you. He won't be coming over until he's done with his current assignment."

"How long is it going to take?" Lyle asked excited. The man was a God when it came to Halo, his name legendary on the scoreboards and inspired fear. "A week?"

"I'm not sure, but that's how long he has asked me to take care of two very important people."

"Important people?" Claire looked at his mother confused. _"A girlfriend? Maybe Wife?"_

"His children."

Lyle who had been drinking some of his juice began to choke. "No wonder he doesn't have time to play online, he knocked up a girl."

"Lyle."

"What? It's the truth."

Sandra glanced at her daughter to see her growing distant before her eyes. _"Her feelings for him have not died out…I should have not said anything."_ But she didn't want to surprise her daughter with the children when they arrived in few hours.

"Is Dad coming home tomorrow?" Lyle asked breaking the awkward silence that that formed between them.

"I was going to surprise you, since your Dad finished up early today, he'll be here tonight."

Lyle sighed. "Just in time for my report card."

* * *

Ando had barely grabbed his two beers when he turned around to see Hiro being dragged out by security from the women's restroom.

"Hold on! I'm not a peeping tom!" Hiro yelled and tried struggling, but no one could mistake the smile that stayed on his face making it hard to believe him. He caught sight of Ando and gave him a thumb up. "Did you see that?" He asked when Ando stepped out with their things. "I did it! I was inside the women's restroom."

"Great. Now you're a pervert."

But not even Ando's words could bring Hiro down. "I teleported myself!"

"Enough!" Ando shoved his backpack at him. "You can't break the space/time continuum!"

"Fine, don't believe me." Hiro said tired and hurt that Ando, his own best friend in the entire world didn't believe him.

"Hiro." Ando followed him feeling guilty for hurting Hiro. He didn't want them to end over this especially after knowing each other since their childhood. "There are twelve and a half million people in this city. Not one of them can bend space and time. Why do you want to be different?" he asked not understanding his best friend.

"Why do you want to be the same?" He shot back.

"Because that's what I am. The same."

"It's what we all are! Homogenous. Yogurt."

"Yogurt?" Ando looked at him confused.

"You don't understand. I want to be special."

"We are not special! We are Japanese!"

"Fine. Stay here. Be just like everyone else." Hiro said with finality. "I wanna boldly go where no man has gone before."

"Hiro."

He ignored him and continued walking.

"Hey!" Ando called out feeling conflicted. "That's right you special! You're 'Super Hiro'!" But when his best friend didn't turn Ando gave up.

* * *

Peter entered Charles' room to see Simone looking through drawers frantically. "What are you looking for?"

"Morphine." Simone responded looking crazed as she continued to open and slam closed drawers.

"What for?"

She stopped and looked at him. "I need you to come with me."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

Peter sighed feeling the entire day weigh on him. "I need to tell you something."

"That will have to wait."

Whenever he wanted to say something everyone else pushed their needs or over him and since he was a nice person he let it go. But now he wonders if it's kindness or simply stupidity thinking that if he made and dedicated time for others, to let them put their matters before his, that they might do the same thing for him. If it had been any other time he would listen, but right now he just wanted someone to listen. He walked to her confident and determined "I need to tell you this. I need to stop living for other people. I don't know what I am supposed to do, suppose to be. Do I even have a destiny of my own—"

"I promise you we will talk about this some other time, okay?" Simone said cutting him off grabbing a vial and syringe. "I need you to come with me right now. You're a nurse you can give out a shot. You can help him."

"Help who?" He asked confused and wondering what he just got into.

* * *

Claire was washing dishes, while her mother's voice drifted from the dining room.

"I thought we'd go to the movies on Saturday. Maybe try on some shoes at that new mall in Gardenville."

"Sure." Claire responded as she rinsed a dish off. "…I love you Mom."

"But?"

"No buts. I just wanted to tell you that."

"No, you think I'm trying to be your best friend again, admit it."

"It's alright, really, we can go to the movies. It's no big deal." Claire turned on the garbage disposal and scraped a plate of food into it.

"I just miss you." Sandra's voice rose over the noise. "I want to be your mom, give you advice, but I don't want to push you away."

"I want advice." She looked over her shoulder back at her mom desperately. Sandra was still in the other room clearing the dishes and couldn't see her expression. "I do. I won't push you away…I promise." Her mind plagued with different case scenarios of how her mother would react if she told her about her… _"My what? Power? Ability? I'm a freak. She would look at me with fear…or worse…disgust." _As she scrubbed the dishes viscously she hadn't noticed her ruby ring slipping off until it was too late and it had gone into the garbage disposal. _"No!" _Her mind screeched. Gabriel had bought that ring for her fifteenth birthday. He may have not come to drop it off, but he took the time to look for it and had her dad give it to her. Without thinking Claire plunged her hand in to get that ring, making sure no harm came to it. The disposal whirred and grinded as her fingers were grounded in it. She pulled her hand out and in her bloody, mangled fingers she held the ring.

Tears burned her eyes not for the pain, but because the ring was now stained crimson with blood, innocence lost. If Gabriel came to visit would he see the difference in her? Would he see how much of a freak she was? She no longer was his bundle of joy she stopped being for so long. Would he still care for her? Would he still love her like he promised all those years ago or would he turn his back on her and run away? Look at her with disgust? Those thoughts filled her with fear and pain. She wanted to see him and at the same time she didn't. _"I can go on the rest of my life without seeing him!" _But she knew she was lying to herself. _"He doesn't need me. He never needed me. He has someone already and he has children with that someone." _She took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check, to keep from breaking down but was failing._ "This isn't fair. Why me?"_

"I just don't think you should be so worried about fitting in all the time."

Claire quickly blinked back her tears and got her poker face on.

"About being so popular."

She turned around quickly hid her bloody hand as her mother entered the kitchen.

Sandra stepped up to her and clasped her daughter's shoulders lovingly. "I don't want to see you make mistakes like I did. I wanted to be someone more interesting than I am."

"You are interesting." Claire said feeling self conscious as blood dripped from her hand onto the ground.

"No, I wanted to hitchhike across Europe, study art, fall in love with some poetry quoting Frenchmen." She smirked at her daughter. "Not that your Dad isn't wonderful, but my point is, you should be who you are and know that it's enough because who you are is special."

Claire nodded feeling her mother's words for the first time in a long time soothed her. She wanted to tell her more than anything. "About that mom…there's something I need to say. Something I haven't talked about because I thought it would upset you and dad."

"Sweetheart," Sandra ran her hand through Claire's hair affectionately. "You can say anything to us, you know that."

She wasn't strong enough to tell her mom yet or her dad. But she still wanted to find answers, so she said the only thing that might shed some light on her ability. "I think I'm old enough now for you to tell me who my real parents are."

Sandra could see the determination in her daughter's gaze and pulled her into a hug feeling emotional. She at times forgot how Claire was no longer a little girl. "Of course you are." Even so Claire would always be her little girl no matter how old she got.

Claire wrapped her arms around her mother holding her close. It is then she saw her hand was completely healed.

The front door opened. "Honey I'm home!" and if on cue two barks followed.

"You're father is home…" Sandra pulled away.

Claire shared a look with her mother when another loud bark sent Mr. Muggles running toward them.

"Honey." Sandra said picking Mr. Muggles up and walking toward the living room.

"I know for a fact that Mr. Muggles does not bark like that." Lyle came out his room. "This can only mean that… Dad! You got us a manlier dog?"

Claire wasted no time in wiping the blood off the floor and throwing the evidence away in the trash before heading to the living room where all the commotion was.

"What's the meaning of this Noah?"

"Sylar said he asked you for permission."

"Hi daddy." Claire greeted her Dad with a huge hug.

"Hey baby." Noah held her close and smiled before pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"This is so cool!" Lyle exclaimed, but made no move to step closer to the German Shepherd dressed in a light grey sleeveless hoodie that continued to look at him, while the Border Collie seemed more friendlier, but made no move to leave the other dog's side as she looked around at everyone in the room.

"They look so cute." Claire said smiling at their outfits.

"I gave him permission to bring his children."

They all turned to look at Noah curiously. "He didn't tell you."

"Didn't tell me what?" Sandra asked curiously.

"These are his children."

The living room went silent and it was only broken by Lyle who burst out laughing. "Why am I not surprised?"

"The way he spoke of them…he made them sound like they were children."

"To him they are. He has a room just for them, a drawer with clothing for them. You won't believe the way he spoils them…but they're fiercely loyal to him."

"Well," Sandra smiled at the dogs. "Welcome Dominic and Sasha."

Dominic walked up to her nuzzled her leg until she reached down to pet him. When Lyle tried to move closer and pet him, Dominic growled. He took a step back causing Dominic to snort.

"He's definitely Sylar's son."

To prove that it was all in good humor Dominic bound toward Lyle and nuzzled in his hand.

"You're not so bad."

Sasha walked up to Claire and sat down in front of her. Her tail wagged cheerfully, her eyes watched her eagerly. "Aren't you precious?" Claire crouched down beside her and ruffled her fur affectionately…just like her owner did. Sasha let out a sound of content. Dominic hearing her walked over to them. "Aren't you handsome?" She scratched him behind the ears. _"So these are his children…he hasn't…"_ She couldn't finish the thought without tears gathering in her eyes. The relief she felt was breathtaking. Laughter bubbled inside her until it burst out.

Noah thought he saw tears in his daughter's eyes, but couldn't know for sure since she closed her eyes as she hugged Dominic and Sasha. When she opened them mirth danced in her eyes. It was the first time in months he saw her genuinely happy. Maybe in end Sylar was doing him a favor instead of the other way around.

* * *

Hiro stood in the subway train, waiting for his stop, but at the same time he was in a state of limbo. Physically he was in the train, but mentally his mind was elsewhere. His gaze came across a New York poster. It was then he thought about how nice it would be if he went there. What he would do? His eyes closed. _"If only I can go there?" _The image engraved in his mind. _"I would like to go there…will it be possible."_

Minutes slowly began to tick away, speed increased and hours joined in. Time became a blur. His eyes opened time stopped moving returning to its original pace. The doors opened and the passengers stepped out. Hiro remained unmoved, the scenery around him seemed to have shifted, but in reality he had teleported into the heart of New York City. The sound of cars honking brought Hiro back into reality. It was then he saw with wonder that he was where he wanted to be. A smile blossomed on his lips. "Hello New York!" He exclaimed holding out his arms to the air in his excitement.

* * *

"I'm just saying it's impossible. No one can predict the future."

"I saw it with my own eyes Peter." Simone ran to the open door of Isaac's loft. "Isaac! I brought someone here to help. He's a nurse." She tried to turn on the lights, but the power was off. She stepped into the darkness with only the open shutters and door from the hallway letting light stream in.

Peter turned on his flashlight as he walked in only to step on a syringe. He flashed his light around looking for the other man until he saw him across the room on the floor. "Simone!" Peter ran toward the unconscious man.

"Oh my God." Simone gasped when she caught sight Isaac. "Isaac?"

Peter pressed his ear against Isaac's chest. "He's alive, call 911." He was trying to find something to bring Isaac to consciousness when he glanced up and saw something that caught his attention.

Simone quickly pulled out her cell phone and began to dial.

He walked toward the paintings and set the one that caught his attention up right. His eyes widened in wonder and for a moment he couldn't breathe. The painting was of him, it was what he had been dreaming. This wasn't a coincidence, it couldn't be.

"It's going to be okay baby an ambulance is on the way." Simone ran her hand through his sweat damp hair trying to blink back tears.

Isaac opened his eyes weakly. "We have to stop it." He whispered to her pointing at a painting he made on the floor. "We have to stop it." The painting was that of a nuclear bomb going off in New York City.

* * *

"_**This quest, this need to solve life's mysteries, in the end, what does it matter if the human heart can only find meaning in the smallest of moments? They're here among us, in the shadows, in the light everywhere. Do they even know yet? **_

A taxi cab pulled into an empty alley and Nathan stepped out with his cell phone pressed against his ear. He paid the driver and waited for him to leave. "Alright, I'm here." He continued to look through the alley and wondered why he was here again. He could have found another way to make it up to Peter instead of indulging him on his weird demand for him to be here. "What do you want?" Instead of getting an answer from Peter he heard something drop behind him. Nathan turned around to see that it was Peter's cell phone. He looked up feeling a hint of dread.

"I've been up here all night thinking about this!" Peter yelled down at him. "Thinking about my destiny!

"What you doing Pete?" Nathan asked worried as the dread continued to increase slowly slipping through his veins.

"It's my turn to be somebody Nathan!"

"Come on Peter quit screwing around!" He refused to think that his younger brother would willingly put his life at risk. He was in denial.

Feeling a sense of déjà vu Peter felt no fear. Instead he let the familiar feel of the wind take his worries away as he spread his arms out. He could do this. _"This is my destiny!" _ Peter took a step forward and let gravity take hold of him.

"_Peter!" _Nathan yelled mentally. Denial was no longer an option. He couldn't lose Peter. He refused to lose Peter. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he ran forward and used the wall as a boost to launch up into the air. He didn't know if it was going to work, he hadn't done it since Heidi's accident and even then he didn't know how he did it. But he wasn't willing to lose someone else he loved due to his incompetence. It was a miracle that Nathan was able to fly into the air and grasp Peter's arm to keep him from falling. "Peter!"

Peter struggled to hold onto Nathan. "You're flying Nathan…you're flying. How did you—" He looked at his older brother in surprise.

"I know." He tried pulling him closer, but Peter's hand kept slipping. The last thing Nathan saw was the fear in Peter's eyes as his hand slipped through his grip. "No!" _"Not again! Not again! Not again!" _"Peter!"

* * *

"Crap." Sylar muttered as he heard his phone ringing. The moment he arrived they had briefed him on the case and gave him the files to look through in case he could find more clues. He had spent the majority of the night until four am looking through them. Not opening his eyes he blindly reached for his phone and flipped it open. "Hello."

"Sylar."

"Angela." Sylar sat up awake. "Are you okay?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard you got arrested for shoplifting."

"Aren't I allowed to act out?"

"No one says you can't, but can you blame me for worrying?"

"My sweet, sweet child, how I miss you."

"What is it that you want me to do?" He asked knowing that when she said such things she wanted him to do something.

"Am I that predictable?"

"Only to me."

"I need you to head over to Los Angeles."

"What for?"

"I am not sure…I just have a hunch."

"You mean a dream."

"Yes…something has happened in Los Angeles. I need you to be there. A group is on standby for you."

"I'll head out right now."

"Okay…"

Sylar waited silently knowing she wasn't done.

"Have you slept?"

He glanced at his alarm clock to see it had only been for an hour. "Yes."

"Don't push yourself too hard."

"I have to."

"If you continue like this you will begin to overlook the small clues.

"I'll keep that in mind." He promised.

"Be careful."

"I will." Sylar hung up the phone and climbed out the bed quickly. The room spun around him and he had to lean against the wall closing his eyes. He needed to be in top condition, but there wasn't enough time. Lucifer seemed to be moving again and once again he was a step behind. "Shit." He said through gritted teeth.

AN: I apologize for any grammatical errors. I can honestly say that I am mentally exhausted between rewatching the first episode three times, looking through the scripts and then adding extra scenes and material to go with the plot. I had no idea what I was getting into when I began this, but though it is tough I plan to finish this. =) I hope you liked this chap. Please be kind to a drop a review telling me what you think so far. I'd love to hear from you. (^_^)

AN 2: I would like to thank: Guest, GenoBeast, sylar1610, julyisfree (Thank you so much for helping me with how I should go along with it!), Chibiboku, Purple Lex, Girly-Black, and DustMoonstone270. for reviewing! Along with everyone who added this fic to their favorites and alerts. =D


	3. Don't Look Back

"_**We all imagine ourselves the agents of our destiny, capable of determining our own fate. But have we truly any choice when we rise or when we fall or does a force larger than ourselves lead us to our direction? Is it evolution that takes us by the hand? Does science point our way? Or is it God who intervenes keeping us safe?"**_

_**Angela Petrelli**_

_**Petrilli Mansion**_

Her hands fisted the bed sheets in her sleep as her mind was plagued with the future.

"_I can't find her." Sylar whispered as he sat on a chair and gripped his head._

"_Who?" Angela asked concerned seeing how close he was to a breakdown._

"_He took her and I don't know where he could be hiding her."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_Lucifer!" Sylar snapped standing and throwing the table that stood between them with inhumane strength using his telekinesis. "He took her ability!"_

"_You're not making any sense."_

"_He took Claire with him and Molly can't find her!" _

_Angela felt a hint of fear at the power that emitted from Sylar, the pain that haunted his gaze. _

"_I was supposed to protect her! I failed her when she needed me most!" _

_Words died upon her lips as tears glistened in his eyes. _

"_All I wanted was for her to be happy, to keep her close…never lose her."Electricity formed in his palms and coursed through his body making the air charged. "Save the cheerleader, save the world."_

_She couldn't breathe as his body began to give a faint glowing blue._

"…_I love her…the world is lost if she's not here."_

"_Sylar!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as he released an enormous blast of electricity._

Angela sat up gasping for breath. Sweat coated her forehead and her heart pounded against her chest at an alarming rate. Her cell phone rang grounding her into reality, she reached for it and answered. "Hello."

"Ma."

"What's wrong?" She asked instantly when she heard the panic in Nathan's voice.

"It's Peter, he's in the hospital."

Her stomach dropped. Not her baby boy. "I'll be right there."

"I'm sorry."

Angela hanged up not bothering to comfort Nathan. Her mind raced with worry for Peter and her dream of Sylar. _"Lucifer…" _The super charged serial killer had so far escaped her visions of the future. He was a blank slate to her. Maybe this was a consequence, the butterfly effect in full swing for changing the future so drastically. From what Noah had told and described to her she knew that Lucifer was far worse than what Sylar would have become if she did not interfere. The mere thought of him sent a chill down her spine. Her only hope to stop him was Sylar and she hoped more than anything that he will, but this dream of the future made her worry even more. Something had to be done, but first she had to make sure Peter was well.

* * *

_**Nathan & Peter Petrelli**_

_**Mid-Town, Manhattan**_

Since the moment Peter arrived to the hospital Nathan had not left his side for even a moment unless it was necessary that the doctors needed him out the room. He had called his mother, but had yet to call his wife. He knew that when Heidi found out and not by him that she will blow a fuse. She loved Peter like her a brother. _"It can't be avoided." _Nathan pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number.

"Nathan…" Heidi answered concerned. "Is something wrong?" she asked not knowing what to expect. Her husband never called in the day while he was at work anymore unless to inform her something bad has happened.

"It's Peter." He heard her suck in breath sharply.

"Is he…how is he?" Her voice cracked with emotion. "What happened?"

"I don't know all the details." Nathan felt a small part of him break at the sadness in her voice. "He's going to be fine. The doctor said he will wake up soon, but will have to hospitalize for a few days."

"Thank God." Heidi sighed in relief. "I will have to pay him a visit."

"No you don't he'll probably still be unconscious and it will be a waste of time."

"I don't care Nathan." Heidi snapped. "Peter was there for the both of us the night of the accident. The least I can do is be there whether he's awake or not and even if it's a waste of time like you said, it's my waste of time."

Nathan found himself fighting back a small smile at her sharp tone. Her will was one of the traits he loved her for. His mother couldn't break her and if they didn't agree Heidi didn't hesitate to stand up to her. Nathan secretly enjoyed those times especially when his mother ended up with her mouth shut not being able to respond. His wife has a backbone that rarely anyone knew about since she hides it behind a sweet smile. "Do what you'd like."

"I will Nathan." She hung up without a farewell.

His relationship with his wife was complicated. He didn't marry her because he loved her, but because she was the girl his dad wanted him to marry. He was fine with that because he liked her, she kept him on his toes and didn't sugarcoat anything when he stepped out of line. But then she just had to tell him that she loved him and he couldn't comprehend how she could. Sure he had taken time out of his schedule to take her to go eat lunch with him, make unscheduled vacations for just for the both of them before they had children. He still did even after they had Simon and Monty. He would go out of his way to seek her company and she wouldn't comment on it except smile whenever he showed up. The day she gave birth to Simon was the day she told him she loved him and instead of pulling back and placing some distance he remained close. He loved the fact that her face would light up when he walked into the room she was in, the way her a smile curved on her lips a moment before he leaned down to kiss her. He never told her he loved her even though he knew he did, he didn't think he had to when he could show her. Nathan was never a man of words but of actions. And he did so or at least tried to everyday until six months ago.

The accident that changed everything and scarred them both for life. She never blamed him for it and it was rarely mentioned even though it glared back at them with her inability to no longer walk. The day she woke up after her ten hour surgery Peter was the one who gave him the strength to step inside Heidi's room and tell her the news. He didn't know what to expect but the one thing that caught him off guard was her silence. He had failed her, when it mattered most, when she needed him most he was incompetent. No amount of money or favors owed to him by powerful men could get his wife to walk again. She didn't cry and instead grabbed his hand and said, "We'll get through this." Her words became a mantra to him that kept him going even till now. But it was his guilt that had him stepping back from her affections, had him thinking that he didn't deserve her in his life. He had ruined her life and it hurt to look at her. Each day her smile dimmed until it became fake, her face no longer lit up when he walked into the room and he feared that one day resentment will show in her eyes when she looked at him.

The sound of Peter moving in bed caught his attention. Nathan watched in surprise as Peter arched off the bed, his eyes still closed. _"He's having a nightmare." _Without thinking except to try and comfort him Nathan placed his hand on his shoulder.

Peter's eyes snapped open as he gasped for air.

"Woah, easy there." Nathan said lowly soothingly.

Peter couldn't remember what happened and let Nathan's hand ground him. "Where am I?"

"You're in a hospital.

"What happened?"

It was the last question Nathan expected to hear from Peter. He could tell him the truth or take liberties to change it. He had the chance to hide his ability again, let no one know of it. "You don't remember?"

"No." Peter closed his eyes to try and remember what took place.

"You jumped Pete." He frowned at him.

"Jumped?" Peter looked at him in disbelief before trying to sit up only for Nathan to force him to lie back down.

"Off the roof of a building…you tried to kill yourself." When Peter looked at him confused he continued. "You were a little wound up yesterday, but I thought you were just being you."

"What are you talking about?" Peter tried desperately to remember, he knew that he hadn't reach that point in life…he jumped for something else. "I didn't try to kill myself." Images of what happened during the jump began to play in his mind. "I jumped, but you were in the alley below and then you…you flew."

"I what?"

"I jumped and you flew and you caught me." He said more confident.

"You jumped." Nathan said trying to control the situation again. "And fell into a fire escape. I climbed up and carried you down." He met his younger brother's gaze. "The rest is just crazy talk."

Peter remained silent when he caught sight of the anger that lurked in his older brother's gaze under the cool exterior he gave out.

"You understand."

He didn't say anything not knowing if Nathan's anger was directed at him or at his actions.

What Peter didn't know was that Nathan was angry at himself. At the useless ability he had that he couldn't control and couldn't save those he loved. First Heidi and now Peter.

* * *

_**Claire & Noah Bennet**_

_**Odessa, Texas**_

Claire stared at the newspaper of the train derailment that led to an explosion. "Dad, do you mind if I talk to you about something?"

Sasha and Dominic were walking around the kitchen trying to see if they could take some of the bacon Noah was cooking.

Noah paused in his cooking breakfast and glanced at them giving them a warning look not to reach for the food. He had an idea of what his daughter wanted to talk about and didn't want either of them to disturb their talk by trying to eat the food he was making for breakfast. Noah grabbed the pitcher of orange juice and walked toward his daughter. "You pregnant?" he asked abruptly out of nowhere and broke the tension before it could form.

"What?" Claire looked at her dad as he grabbed her half finished glass of orange juice and refilled it. She could see the smile that he tried to hide. "No."

"Are you doing any drugs?"

"Dad." She gave him that look that said, 'really'.

This time Noah couldn't stop the smile. "Actually I already know what it's about."

Claire frowned. She didn't know what to make of his words. "You do?" Did he know about her ability or about what she talked to her about the day before?

Noah took note of how defensive she became. It wasn't her tone, but the slight hesitant movement she did as she turned to face him as if she were hiding something. "It's about you wanting to know who you really are. Your mother told me that you have been asking about your birth parents."

She approached slightly cautious not knowing how he would react and not wanting to hurt his feelings with this topic. "I thought it was about time I knew."

"Well, I have a few questions first and not the least of which is, why now?"

"I'm just wondering that's all." Her gaze flickered away from him for a moment. "What they are like, what they can do."

The last question caught his attention instantly. "What they can do?"

"Yeah like their hobbies," she tried to improvise and found it hard with her dad's penetrating look, "skills." She finished lamely.

Noah looked away knowing how unsettling his gaze could be when he was trying to figure something out and if his daughter had an ability like he was beginning to think he should wait for her to tell him. But he wasn't patient like that especially not when it came to Claire. He needed to know she was okay, he wanted her to know she was safe with him and he would let no harm come to her. He wanted her to feel comfortable as herself, just like Sylar was with himself. He had never gone power hungry or thought of himself as a freak, he simply accepted who he was. "You know I don't mean this to be condescending even though you're going to say I'm being condescending, but I really do believe this is an adult decision."

"You're right that is condescending." She said feeling slightly annoyed. She thought her father would understand.

"Claire there are going to be issues." Noah said as he split the food he cooked for breakfast in four different plates. "You're going to have issues, they're going to have issues." He turned to his daughter hoping she would understand and that he was not trying to crush her hopes. "It's going to be very complex emotionally."

"Yeah well so am I." Claire said not seeing her dad's point of view.

"Well, exactly." He said pointing out that she proved his point. Noah offered her a plate in food as compromise.

She grabbed it frowning not prideful enough to not eat her dad's cooking.

"Look here's my advice if you'd indulge me just for a second."

Claire nodded.

"Keep things light and fun for as long as you can, like cheerleading."

She gave him a look that said, 'you did not just go there'.

Noah had to bite back another smile at her expression. His Claire bear had a backbone that could rival his.

"Being a cheerleader is hard treacherous work."

He chuckled smiling. "Of course it is sweetheart."

"I don't want to be late." Claire grabbed her plate of food off the counter.

"Hey." Noah grabbed her gently by the shoulders to keep from going and kissed her cheek.

The annoyance that she felt for what her dad said melted away as he looked at her affectionately. Claire knew that he only ever did or said things to look after her and the rest of the family.

"Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. Trust me I actually know a few things."

Claire sighed knowing he was right and walked away. "Sasha. Dominic." She called to the dogs and gave them her pieces of bacon.

"Now you're just spoiling them.

"Well someone has to since Gabriel isn't here." Claire chuckled as they rubbed against her legs in gratitude. Dog fur was the last thing on her mind as she walked out the house.

"I know she's hiding something." Noah muttered to himself as he looked at the newspaper with the train derailment.

Dominic's head snapped up as if he understood what Noah was saying.

"I think it's about time I pay Zach's place a visit." He glanced down at Dominic. "Do you want to come with me?"

Dominic gave him a toothy grin that borderlines on vicious.

"Sasha you stay here and guard Sandra."

Sasha stood to attention, her head held up high as if ready to take on the world.

* * *

_**Hiro Nakamura**_

_**Times Square, New York**_

Excitement continued to burn in Hiro's veins as he walked on the sidewalk giving everyone that passed by him a greeting. He was so caught up in the moment that when his heart stopped beating for second as his eyes caught sight of something that his body had yet to come to terms with his mind, he almost walked by it. But once his body did catch up, his feet remained planted on the floor refusing to go forward and instead went backward toward the newsstand. _"There!" _His eyes instantly locked onto the comic book that had grabbed his attention. 9th Wonders! A chill went down his spine when he got a closer look at the picture. It looked just like him. _"It can't be…" _He grabbed the comic book and began skimming through noticing with a startling realization that the comic book was chronicling his life.

"Hey," The man owning the newsstand protested. "This isn't a library. No pay no read."

"Oh," Hiro frowned not really understanding English. At this moment more than anything he wished that he had paid more attention in class like Ando did, but the good thing was that the concept of a newsstand wasn't foreign to him. He would constantly buy from them, but the problem was that he had no American money and as he pulled out his currency he hoped the man didn't notice the difference until he was long gone. The moment the man grabbed the money, Hiro ran as fast as he could.

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry! That's all I have!" Hiro yelled back in Japanese. He didn't know where he was going only that he had to get away and find a safe place to read the comic. After running for four blocks straight he stopped in front of what appeared to be a closed theatre. After regaining his breath Hiro eagerly flipped the comic book open and began to read. It amazed him to see everything he did the day before on it. His attempt at succeeding to stop time and turning it back for a second, then explaining to Ando about his powers and finally their fight. After the amazement wore off it felt strange. How could someone draw his life without him knowing? It slightly unnerved him and left him with many questions. He had to find the writer and artist. Hiro skipped to the last page and saw a picture of the writer with his name and address. _"Isaac Mendez. I have to talk to him."_

* * *

_**Isaac Mendez & Simone Deveaux**_

_**Lower Manhattan**_

"Simone." Isaac whispered weakly as she came to join him in bed.

"Ssh." She said soothingly and wiped his sweaty forehead with a rag. "You had a hard night."

"I saw it." He had to tell her. "There was a bright light. Like an explosion." She had to believe him. "Like Hiroshima." Just remembering it made his body tremble with fear. _"I have to stop it! But how…?"_

"Ssh." Simone tried to calm him down. "It's okay it was all a dream."

"No." Isaac looked at her desperately. _"Why won't you believe me?" _

"Yes."

"I shot up last night. I had to." He came out clean. _"She has to believe me."_

"I know." She whispered.

"I painted what I saw." His voice rose with panic. "Is it there?" he pointed at his work place. "Do you see it?"

"Yes I see it, but you need to rest."

"_There's no time for that." _He pushed her hand aside. "We need to warn them." Isaac got off his bed, his mind ran in circles knowing he had to do something, but not knowing what.

"Warn who?" Simone asked him thinking that if she indulged him for just a little he will calm down.

"FBI." He said naming the first things that came into his mind. "Homeland Security. We need to tell someone."

"Isaac you can't paint the future." She said having enough. "No one will believe you."

"_Of course no one will if the woman I love doesn't either." _It hurt that she didn't, the desperation that gripped him wouldn't let up. It continued to drag him down even now. "I hope you would."

"None of it is real." She pleaded for him to understand, to find his way and come back to the present. "What is real is that you got a drug problem." She ran her hand through his sweaty locks affectionately. "You overdosed on heroine last night. You're lucky to be alive. I'm watching my father die…"

He had forgotten about her pain. In the midst of losing his sanity he had forgotten about hers. Guilt clawed at him going against the desperation that raged within him. He reached for her hand to comfort her, but she pulled away.

"I can't watch you die." She met his gaze determined. "You need to make choice, me or this."

Isaac remained silent. _"Why can't you see that you're asking for too much? If I let you go, would you think that you mean so little to me? I love you, but I can't place our love before the lives of many…even if I lose my way. If I can save their lives in the end then it will all be worth it. What is the point of being able to draw the future and not do anything about it?"_

* * *

"_Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" _Was the only thing Zach could think as he ran through the school campus and toward his locker. Two of his closest friends Jake and Alex were standing there and waiting for him. He couldn't even mutter a quick greeting as he spun the dial and entered his combination. _"Claire is going to kill me!" _When he opened his locker Zach frantically searched for the tape hoping against all odds that he left it there, but no matter how many times he looked it wasn't there. _"I'm so dead!"_ He had to tell her. He looked to his left to see her there talking to Jackie and Brody. He didn't know whether to thank whatever higher being there was out there for making him address the problem now instead of later. Zach knew how Claire didn't like him coming to talk to her in front of her friends during school, but this problem couldn't be postponed. Hopefully she won't send him away before he could tell her. He walked up to her. "Claire." She turned around and instead of frowning she smiled at him giving him the confidence to say the next words. "Can I talk for a sec?"

Claire was grateful for the distraction since she was tired of having to force a smile when Brody was flirting with her and Jackie kept cutting in. "Sure." She said, but as he pulled her aside she saw how nervous he was, while Zach simply ignored the looks Brody and Jackie were giving him.

"Hey Zach." Jackie cut in walking up to him. "Is it true you got an erection in the boy's locker room?"

Zach wanted to say something insulting to her, but instead bit his tongue and forced a smile knowing that Claire wouldn't like him insulting her friend. Just as he was about to pull her away again Claire turned to Jackie glaring.

Claire had enough in that one moment of Jackie insulting Zach she had an epiphany. Why was she friends with Jackie? Her spot in cheerleading was set and if she truly wanted to make friends, she was capable of doing so. She was already friends with Zach whether she liked to admit it or not. "Why don't you find someone else to fuck around with instead of always following me and trying to snatch the attention back to yourself?"

Jackie gasped, while Brody's hold on the football loosened. This was the first time they ever heard Claire curse and Zach couldn't help but to grin.

"What the hell Claire." Jackie snapped pissed. "I was insulting him not you."

"Like that makes it any better. You were insulting a close friend of mine." Claire didn't bother to pay attention to the gasps that surrounded them. "The next time you insult Zach remember that you're also insulting me as well. Maybe now you can learn to bite your tongue and think before you speak."

Jake and Alex were the first to break the trance of shock as they walked up to Zach and Claire and stand beside them. Jackie looked at them with disgust before she could even say anything their principal showed up.

"Claire. Jackie. The sheriff and a fireman would like to have a word with you?"

Both girls nodded.

"We can talk later." Claire promised Zach as she walked after the principal and Jackie who flipped her hair.

Zach feeling someone looking at him looked over his shoulder to see Brody looking at him. The guy gave him the creeps and he didn't like the fact that he set his sights on Claire. There was something off about him maybe it was because he noticed the way Lori Tremmel looked at him with fear and resentment. Zach made a mental note to warn Claire.

"Come on Zach, we'll be late for class." Alex tugged on his friend's sleeve as he dragged him away with Jake behind them.

* * *

"Girls." The sheriff said as he walked up to them with the principal and the fireman. "Listen, this isn't a criminal investigation. Nobody here is in any kind of trouble, quite the contrary really. There just happens to be a very grateful man lying in the hospital who would like to thank one of you for saving his life yesterday."

Claire glanced at the sheriff feeling mixed emotions. A part of her wanted to be recognized, but the other part of her was scared, she didn't know how she would explain not being burned.

"I've never seen anyone so reluctant to be called a hero." The principal said. "Are you sure it's one of our cheerleaders?"

"The uniform said Union Wells High." The fireman said looking at the girls. "I have to say it was her at the end."

"Claire Bennet."

"Claire, where'd you go yesterday after cheerleading practice?" The sheriff asked calmly.

"I…" Claire couldn't come up with a decent lie, she had half a mind to simply tell them the truth.

"It wasn't her." Jackie cut in stepping out of the line. "It was me."

Claire looked at her in disbelief, stuck between feeling relieved and wanting to punch her.

"I was taking a shortcut from school and I saw the wreckage of the train…wreck…and I just had to help."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I guess I didn't want all the attention, you know."

Claire raised an eyebrow highly amused.

"It's not why I did it."

"Well on the behalf of the Odessa fire department," The fireman walked up to Jackie and shook her hand. "I'll like to congratulate you as an honorary firefighter."

The rest of the cheerleaders began to cheer for her and hugged her. Instead of joining them Claire walked up to the sheriff. "How is he?" she asked.

"Who?" He asked confused.

"The man Jackie pulled out of the train."

"He has some pretty bad burns, smoke damage to his lungs, but he's alive. Happy to be so." He smiled at her.

"Thanks to Jackie." Claire for the first time felt grateful to her ability because of it she was able to save a life. A smile graced her lips. _"Maybe this isn't so bad."_

* * *

_**Gabriel 'Sylar' Gray**_

_**Los Angeles, California**_

Sylar stepped out of the black sleeked company issued BMW. Sunglasses covered onyx eyes that could look upon someone warmly with affection or regard a person with indifference and send chills down their spine at the coldness that lay there. His coat jacket was sung over one shoulder and his white long sleeve button down shirt was rolled up to his elbows. He smirked when he saw who his partner was. "Well, well, well if isn't Thompson Jr."

Eric glared at the man stuck between respecting, hating and loving him, but then again that could be expected when you look upon someone as a sibling. "How many times have we gone through this? It's Eric."

"I prefer Junior more."

"Whatever, suit yourself." Eric sighed as he unlocked his car. "Get in."

"I thought there was going to be a team." Sylar said as he slipped into the passenger seat.

"There is, but they're on standby."

"Who are they?"

"Sean Fallon and Donna Dunlap."

"Candice's boyfriend and your girlfriend."

"Donna is not my girlfriend…and hold up Sean is going out with Candice?"

"I thought everyone knew that."

"No. I think it was supposed to be a secret."

"Well maybe they shouldn't have been making out in the file room."

"I highly doubt they were doing that." Eric raised an eyebrow amused.

"Okay…they may have been only sharing a peck on the lips."

Eric bit back a smile not wanting to encourage him. "So, what's up with the sunglasses?"

"They help me look more intimidating." Sylar said although the real reason was because he had bags forming under his eyes making him look like crap. He refused to look like shit in front of anyone especially if he could hide it.

Eric didn't bother to comment on that. The man knew he was and could be perfectly intimidating without them.

"Do we have time to stop for breakfast?"

"Nope, we have a crime scene to check out that fits your guy's MO."

"You're right I rather go on an empty stomach."

"And there's more."

"What do you mean?"

"He abducted a little girl."

"That can't be right he doesn't abduct anyone."

Eric remained silent as he sped down the street leaving Sylar to his thoughts.

"_Let her be safe."_

* * *

"Claire!"

She turned around to see Zach running toward her. "Hey." She said feeling her irritation for Jackie slowly go away.

"I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Sorry about that. I need to vent out for a while. Can you believe they asked Jackie to be the grand marshal of the Pioneer Parade? They're gonna put her on top of the fire truck I'd put her under fire truck."

For a moment he forgot about the lost tape and chuckled at her words. "Who wouldn't want to?"

This time it was her turn to laugh. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"You know the videotape where like you're killing yourself twenty times."

Claire felt her stomach drop. "What about that tape?"

"It was in my backpack now it's not."

"What?" she asked maybe she heard him wrong. There was no need to panic.

"It's gone."

"What do you mean it's gone?" Before the panic could even kick in a force slam right into her knocking her off her feet.

Zach watched in shock as her head snapped from the impact only to instantly right itself and snap back into place. He quickly looked around to see people gathering, but no one had witnessed her ability.

"Oh my god Claire!" Brody ran to her and gently helped her up. "Are you alright?"

"_What do you think?" _Claire snapped mentally irritated. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Zach watched nervously as others approached them.

"You just caught me off guard."

"I thought I heard something snap." Brody said worried as he looked her over making sure nothing was dislocated.

"No, I'm okay." She announced raising her hand trying to diffuse the attention. Everyone sighed in relief as she continued to reassure them that she was fine. "Not a scratch on me." She told Brody. _"Please leave."_

"I guess you're not dainty after all." He smiled.

"No, I'm not." She said annoyed tired of boys thinking of her as delicate and weak. Claire surprised the both of them by turning to Zach.

Zach watched the way Brody kept looking at Claire as she walked toward him. When the other boy noticed that he had been caught staring, he walked away.

"We have got to find that tape." Claire said determined not to let her life fall to pieces just as she was slowly coming to terms with everything happening in her life. "Do you have any idea where it could have fallen?"

"I have a couple of places."

"Let's go."

"What?"

"I'm going to help you."

"What about cheerleading?"

"It can wait." She looked at the cheerleaders waiting for her.

"No it can't. They're waiting for you. I'll go look for it."

Claire looked at him helplessly. "But—"

"No, I'll find it. Trust me."

It has been a while since she could trust anyone and right now she needed that more than anything. Looking into Zach's eyes she knew she could, he kept her secret for months. "Okay, I trust you." The full blown smile that curved on his lips had her knowing she made the right choice. _"I can trust him…even if it's a little."_

* * *

Peter sat on the hospital bed. A paper and pencil in his hands. He drew two stick figures. One had jumped from a small ledge and seemed to hover in the air, while the other one stood on the ground and watched the one in the air. A knock on the glass disturbed his drawing. He looked up to see his mother smiling at him. Peter hid the drawing just as she walked into the room. He had been expecting her visit, but was nervous at the same time. He didn't know what she would say.

"Help me understand what you were doing on that roof?" Angela asked not bothering with pleasantries as she moved further into the room.

"I can't." Peter replied honestly because he didn't know what to say or perhaps believe any more. "Not yet, but I will." He needed to figure some things out first. "You just have to trust me."

"_That's the one thing I never doubted you on." _Angela took a seat on the chair beside his bed as she placed the bag she brought with her on the bed. "There's something I wanted you to know about your father's death." She took out a brand new green shirt. "He committed suicide."

"What?" Peter asked not knowing if he heard wrong or he didn't want to believe it.

She met her younger son's gaze. "He committed suicide." She repeated not knowing who she was trying to convince the lie to. She only hoped that he never found out the truth about his father. "I found him on the floor of the bathroom."

"You said he had a heart attack." He hoped that his mom was lying as she took out a black shirt this time.

"I lied for his reputation." She said simply. "His heart was fine."

"No," It didn't add up to him. "You said he had two others before that."

"I lied about those as well." She held out a white shirt to him seeing if it fit his complexion. "Suicide attempts the both of them. He finally got what he wanted." Angela did the mistake of looking at him. The lost look on his face had her almost wanting to take the story back. But she couldn't and wouldn't no matter how much she loved her son. "When he was twenty three he was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. He couldn't help it, it was just who he was."

"Why didn't I know about any of this before?" Peter asked feeling a bit of anger toward his mother. Maybe if he knew he could have understood him better.

"Your father and I decided not to tell you since the disorder could have a genetic link and you were always so sensitive. We didn't want you to worry about it."

"_So sensitive…" _Peter nodded trying to come to terms with the phrase. He knew he was when it came to certain things, but this was his life, shouldn't he have known about maybe having a trait that could lead to depression. "But you're telling me now?"

"It can start with illusions of being invincible and indestructible."

"_No."_ Peter refused to believe what she was saying.

"They are irrational thoughts that then turn suicidal."

"_You're wrong!"_

"It's time you took a hard look at your life."

Her words cut straight through his heart. First Nathan and now his mother. He couldn't help, but feel that the two most important people in his life were trying to force their beliefs on him. He felt helpless.

"And if there are changes to be made I want to be here to help you…" She could feel her eyes burn with tears. The lies weighed heavy on her and she never had wanted to inflict this type of pain on her son. "Because there's something else I never told you." She motioned for Peter to lean closer like she did. "Because you were always my favorite."

Peter felt his eyes burn with tears at her words.

"I cannot lose you." She met his gaze and he could see that she meant it.

* * *

Hiro pressed the buzzer to the loft, but after a few seconds of not hearing anything he went to the door and knocked. The door opened by itself. Hiro looked unsure whether to step in. "Mr. Isaac Mendez!" He called out from the doorway. Once again he looked around to see no one there. "Hello." He stepped further into the room looking around nervous. "Mr. Isaac!" Still there was no sound. Hiro stepped down the stairs and looked around. He noticed that few portraits had the same design. It looked familiar to him. He came across a table that had a strip drawn for 9th Wonders! It was of him talking of on a cell phone. Hiro knew he was in the right apartment. _"Now if only I can find Mr. Isaac Mendez."_

He looked to the left and stopped; a chill went down his spine when he saw the floor colored crimson with blood. "Mr. Isaac." He called out hesitantly, scared as he followed the crimson path. The sight of the gun had his stomach dropping. He reached for it out of instinct. He didn't know how to use it, but it offered a bit of comfort in his fear to have something to defend himself. "Mr. Isaac." He called out again as he continued to follow the path only to stop abruptly when he caught sight of the dead body. His jaw fell open in shock, his lungs refused to breath as his mind tried to process what he just witnessed. Mr. Isaac's body laid on the floor surrounded by blood. His head had been scalped, the top of it remained a few inches from the body, while the brain lay scattered in pieces across the room.

"Freeze!" A cop yelled as he entered the loft pointing a gun at Hiro.

Hiro snapped out of his shock and looked at him. The gun dropped from his hands in fear. In a matter of seconds the loft was filled with policemen and their guns aimed at him.

"Get your damn hands up!"

Hiro raised them without hesitation, but even with all the guns aimed at him his gaze sought the body of Isaac Mendez. _"Maybe this is a nightmare…" _ But when he saw the bloodied body, he couldn't take it anymore. His knees gave out from under him as he fainted.

* * *

_**Matt Parkman**_

_**Los Angeles, California**_

"Serial killer strikes in the middle of Los Angeles, abducts a little girl and here I am a hundred feet away." Matt waved off cars to make sure they kept on going and didn't stop traffic. "Might as well be in Siberia."

"That's alright, they don't pay us enough to be where the action is at." His partner commented. "What are you going to do anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Matt asked as he watched a black Mercedes Benz approach. "I just want to help."

"You want to help, help me get more pay."

The car stopped and two men stepped out. One wore sunglasses with his dark hair slicked back without losing stride he placed his suit jacket on. The second one had a slightly cleaner appearance with his attire, but both men excluded the aura of 'don't look at me, don't fuck with me, just give me my space to do my job and we'll get along perfectly fine'.

"What do you think CIA or FBI?" His partner asked.

"They look to clean to be FBI…" Matt frowned. _"But they don't look like CIA either."_

"Saw the test scores get posted this morning."

An awkward silence settled over them.

"Don't worry about it man, not everybody is a good test taker."

Matt remained silent as the sound of a heartbeat drowned out all the noise, the voice of his partner became distant. A man's voice echoed in his mind. _**"He kills everyone that has what he wants, but the girl remains missing." **_He shook his head as if to clear it.

"_The girl." _Matt thought. It was then he heard the small scared voice of a girl. _**"Please don't hurt me...please don't hurt me."**_

"_**That could only mean the girl is here."**_ The man's voice came back.

"You alright man?" His partner asked but his voice sounded so far away compared to the girl's and the man's.

Matt began to follow the voices, they grew louder the closer he got to the house. Other voices seemed to join in, but they were weak as well. He entered the house and the voices became clear as if they were having a conversation with him.

* * *

_**Heidi Petrelli**_

_**Mid-Town, Manhattan**_

Heidi waved for the bodyguards to wait outside the room. It irritated her how Nathan seemed to believe she was defenseless and needed to have someone looking after her. Only because the accident took her ability to walk didn't mean that she wasn't capable of doing anything exxept raising their children. She knocked on the door to announce her presence.

Peter looked up in surprise as Heidi entered the room. "Today must be my lucky day if Heidi Petrelli graces me with her presence."

"When you say it that way you make it sound as if I am full of myself." Heidi smiled as she came to stop beside him.

"As long as we," he pointed at both of them, "know that you aren't, it shouldn't matter what the outside world thinks."

"Only if you're married to a candidate running for senator."

"Or an actor."

"A singer."

"A famous inventor."

"A house of representative."

"The president."

"Touché." She raised an eyebrow at him.

Peter chuckled for the first time that day. He doesn't remember the last time he found himself amused. "I'm surprised you're here."

"How can I not be?" Heidi frowned at him worried. "When Nathan called telling me you were here I had to come."

"I'm surprised he let you come considering how strict he has been about letting you leave the mansion."

"He knows not to interfere when I set my mind on visiting you especially if you're hurt and in the hospital." She placed her hand over his. "So what happened?"

"Nathan didn't tell you."

She shook her head and stayed silent waiting for him to tell her.

"I jumped off the roof of a building."

Her hand tightened over his.

"It's not because I was trying to commit suicide or anything like that. I'm not depressed." He met her gaze hoping that she wouldn't judge him like his mother and Nathan. "It's complicated."

"I bet it is because last week when you came to visit I didn't see anything wrong with you. If anything you were smiling like there was no tomorrow." Heidi gave him a comfort squeeze.

"Lately I've been feeling like there's more to me that this, like I'm supposed to do something grand."

"You're a Petrelli, you are always meant for something big, but it's your choice in which way you want to carve your path." Heidi smiled at him. "You showed that to us when you graduated from medical school six months ago becoming a male nurse. You don't live off of your inheritance and instead live paycheck by paycheck even when you don't have to. You may not make a quick impact like your older brother who is a public figure; you do it at a slower rate, one person at a time."

"How do you know if that's even true?" Peter looked away from her.

"Because you have a witness sitting right in front of you." Heidi told him gently. "After the accident I had told Nathan we will make it through, but over time no matter how much I struggled I couldn't make progress. Nathan buried himself in his campaign and I became angry with God. I wondered what I could have done to make him do this to me. It was maddening that things I used to do so easily and unknowingly took for granted became a constant struggle in my daily life, my boys looked at me as if not knowing what to do and Nathan couldn't even look me in the eyes. It couldn't express my anger, frustration or sadness in any way not wanting my children, Nathan or Angela to see…but you."

Peter turned to look at her to see her smiling. It could be a heartwarming sight or a heartbreaking one depending if it was genuine or forced. He felt a rush of affection knowing it was genuine and just like Nathan he could tell when Heidi had gone spiraling down, but unlike his brother he did something about it even if it was just to ask a simple question. But it was that simple question that opened the flooded gates and changed everything. He could remember the day like it was yesterday instead of it being almost three months ago.

_Peter walked into the parlor room to see Heidi sitting by the window. "Hi." He called out in greeting as he walked toward her and came to stand by her._

"_Hello Peter." She greeted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes nor filled with warmth._

_It was one of those smiles that he noticed Heidi now wore like a mask. It kept her at a distance by hiding her true feelings. He placed his hand over hers and could practically feel her pent up emotions as he crouched down in front of her so their eyes were on the same level. "How are you doing?"_

_It was a question she had not heard before because of how someone could come to their own conclusions and no one knew what to say or do to make her feel better. Tears burned her eyes, she didn't need anyone to do anything for her except to listen and now that she had someone she didn't know where to begin. Multiple words fought to make their way through her lips, but none would come out, words have failed her. Instead a tear slid down her cheek followed by another. In a matter of moments tears streamed down her face, her body continued to shake with sobs that she refused to let out._

"_It's okay." Peter pulled her into his arms. "Let it all out."_

_It was only when her sobs were muffled by his shoulder did she cry out her anger and pain. "I'm not okay." She said through her sobs. "I'm not okay." She repeated over and over again. All the barriers she worked on putting up over months crumbled down in seconds. It felt liberating to cry like this if only for a moment, to allow her weakness to be shown and know that it was perfectly fine._

"_But you will be." He whispered as he rubbed circles around her back comforting. "In time you will be."_

_And with all her heart she believed his words._

"You were right." Heidi whispered to him. "In time I became okay. I still have hope that one day I will get out of this chair, but if in the end I can't I won't let this ruin me."

"I'm glad for you."

"This feeling that you have Peter, I want you promise me that you won't let it slip from you before you have a chance to truly explore it."

"I promise." Peter gave her a small smile.

"That's more like it. You're a Petrelli, you're not allowed to let things go without fighting for it first."

"I'll keep that in mind." He winked causing her to chuckle.

Neither noticed the two figures standing by the glass watching them behind the barely closed curtains.

"I'm surprised to find you here." Angela said not taking her eyes off her younger son and daughter-in-law.

"I just came to check up on him again." Nathan said his expression unreadable. "Making sure he hasn't tried to check himself out.

"So it has nothing to do with wanting to see her smile?"

"I don't know what you mean Ma. She still smiles at me."

"But not the way she did so before, not the way she smiles at Simon, Monty and Peter."

Nathan remained silent neither denying nor proving her claim right.

* * *

Eric let out a low whistle as he stepped in the house behind Sylar. "I knew that son of a bitch was sick. I had seen the photos, but none of it prepares you for the real thing."

Sylar remained silent as he looked at the body of a women impaled on the stairway railing with multiple knives, scissors, anything that had metal and a sharp point stabbed the woman keeping her trapped. Blood stained her clothes and skin.

"Her head isn't scalped…she was human." Eric whispered to him. "Why kill her?"

"She was trying to defend her family or she knew something that he wanted." Sylar walked into the dining room to see the man of the house frozen solid and scalped. His hand holding a fork remained in the air as if eating. It only took seconds for the Sylar to figure out what happened. Lucifer had come from behind and scalped the father. The mother had either seen it or heard it happening. Lucifer would have let her go, but went after her. For what? There were no signs of the little girl in the living room. Could it be that he wanted the little girl? That was why he killed the mother, he tortured her so she would tell him, but she didn't. There was huge likely chance she died taking that secret with her. Her daughter could still be here, but where?

"Like what?"

"The daughter." Sylar looked around the room taking in every detail. He walked out the dining room and toward the stairs where the mother's body was hanging. The table and tipped over lamp caught his attention. The position of both items seemed strange to him. It could have been a coincidence that both objects landed in such a manner, but Sylar couldn't quiet put his finger on it. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings or he would have noticed the police officer that walked in looking around vividly. Sylar knocked on the wood under the stairs hearing a deep sound. He knocked a few feet down were the table and lamp where and this time it sounded hollow. He knocked again a few inches down and it sounded deep.

Eric watched fascinated as Sylar knocked on the wall were the table and lamp where again. Just as he moved the objects he felt another presence beside him. He glanced to the side to see a police officer. "You're not supposed to be here."

The man 'shhed' him as he walked closer to Sylar. "She's there."

Sylar looked over his shoulder at him before looking back at the wood and with a flick of a wrist he popped the hidden door open to reveal a secret room. The walls were decorated with pink flowers. The room was big enough to only fit a small table and a chair. On the table was scramble, monopoly and a metal box. The only source of light was a small lamp at the corner. A little girl sat on the floor hugging her teddy bear and knees. Sweat coated her forehead and wet her hair. Fear glistened in her eyes as she stared at him. "It's okay." Sylar said to her soothingly. "You're safe."

The girl simply pressed herself against the wall as if hoping it would swallow her whole.

"I won't hurt you." He held out his hand. "I won't let anyone hurt you. I'll protect you."

Tears gathered in her eyes.

"I promise…I won't ever let him get you."

She knew exactly who he meant, the man that caused her mother to hide her in there for what felt like eternity. Her body shook as she untangled herself and crawled to him. Her bear still in hand.

"That's it sweetheart. Trust me."

Her hand grabbed his like a lifeline.

Sylar pulled her gently into his arms.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried.

"It's okay darling." He rubbed circles behind her back trying to comfort her.

"He hurt my mom and dad." She said through her sobs.

"I won't let him hurt you." Sylar continued to hold the girl in his arms as he walked out the house quickly before anyone could question them. Eric was already ahead of him unlocking the car.

"Where are you going?"

Sylar looked over his shoulder to see the policeman. "I think you mean where we are going."

"We?" He looked between the girl and him.

"You're coming with us."

"No, I'm not."

"You can either come with us the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice." Sylar continued to walk toward the car. "Make sure he comes with us."

Eric nodded and walked toward the other man as Sylar climbed in the back seat with the girl.

Sylar quickly buckled her in the middle seat and wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her near. He knew that she needed the human contact more than anything. He waited for Eric and the policeman to get in.

"I'm only going to make sure you don't hurt the little girl."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Sylar gave her an affectionate squeeze as he smiled at her. "So what's your name?"

"Molly."

"That's a pretty name. My name is Gabriel." He said decided that honesty was the best way to connect with her. "But everyone except for a few call me Sylar."

"Which do you prefer?"

"You can call me whichever you'd like."

"I like Gabriel more…the archangel." A small smile graced her lips. "Mom used to read me stories about him. He's the messenger of God…He must have sent you to come get me."

"Perhaps." Sylar ran his fingers through her hair smiling. He didn't have to glance at Eric to see him grinning like there was no tomorrow. "How about you sitting in the passenger seat?"

"What about me?"

"Your name."

"It's Matt Parkman."

"Welcome Matt." Sylar turned to Molly. "The one driving is called Junior."

"Eric."

"Junior."

"Eric."

"So, is anyone hungry?"

A chuckle filled the car that had Matt smiling, Eric shaking his head biting back a grin, and Sylar looking at Molly highly amused who was trying to hide her smile behind her hand and broke through any tension that could have remained in car.

"So, how long is this going to take?" Matt asked. "I have couple's counseling today and I don't want to let my wife down."

Eric looked at the rearview mirror and met Sylar gaze. They knew the man was screwed for the day, there was no way he was going to make the appointment, but neither was willing to tell him.

"Hopefully you'll make it."

* * *

Dominic watched cautiously as Noah continued to look at the portable DVD player. There was something lurking under that cool exterior that had Dominic on edge. He glanced at Sasha to see her standing at a further distance but she was looking at Noah as well.

For the last few hours Noah had been looking at the DVD over and over again. Watching his daughter kill herself, life fading from her eyes. He couldn't comprehend what she was doing, he knew she could heal, but she actively sought ways to harm herself. It didn't make any sense to him. It hurt to realize that he may not know who his Claire Bear was anymore, that she didn't trust him enough to be the first to come to when her abilities came out. She still hasn't and he wondered if she has told Sylar. He needed to call him and see if she did.

The front door opening caught his attention. He looked up to see Claire coming in and calmly closed the DVD portable before placing it to the side. "Claire Bear." He said smiling as Dominic and Sasha ran toward her.

"Hi Dad." Claire gave him a genuine smile as she closed the door and Dominic and Sasha began assaulting her with licks and nudges. "Hey guys." She greeted them affectionately as she petted them on the head.

"How was school?"

"Every school like. How was work?" She asked giving them a final scratch behind the ears before walking toward her dad.

"Every work like." Noah met his daughter's gaze. "Listen, I made a couple of calls today."

Claire looked at him curiously but before he continued he patted the chair across from him. She knew it was an important talk if he wanted her to sit down. When Claire took a seat Sasha followed her and placed her head on her lap, while Dominic went to sit beside Noah all the playfulness he showed her was gone. If they weren't about to have a serious conversation Claire would have ran up to her room and grabbed her camera to take a picture of them both looking serious. It was a funny site and she knew Gabriel would have enjoyed seeing a picture like that.

"I spoke to a very nice woman at the adoption agency and she said they were going to try and get in touch with your birth parents and request a meeting."

She looked at her dad shocked. He seemed against the idea in the morning, but in the end he had been trying to pull strings for her. "I thought that was an adult decision."

"Well you seemed pretty adult when you said you wanted to do it."

"Thanks."

"She said it's a lengthy process and it could take weeks. I'm hoping years that way you will be my little girl a little while longer."

She was finally able to see why her dad was reluctant to do this for her. Tears gathered in her eyes and Sasha as if trying to comfort nudged her nose on her lap and rubbed her head against her.

"I'm not done protecting you from the world."

"You're my Dad, you'll never not be my Dad." She could only hope that he knew just how much she meant those words. "And I promise I'll be your little girl for as long as I can," It was the next words that broke her heart because she knew that he couldn't even if she wanted him to. "But you can't protect me forever."

Noah forced a smile. "I know." He knew more that anyone how true her words were. He was failing her. "And it breaks my heart."

A tear slid down her face. "I love you Dad."

"I love you too sweetheart." He wiped her tear away. "Go get ready for dinner."

"Okay." She got up with Sasha following her.

Once she was gone Noah opened the player to see Claire get up from the dirt and pop her shoulder back into place. "My name is Claire Bennet and that was attempt number six."

"It really does break my heart." He closed the player and pulled out his cell phone dialing a number. After the fifth ring it went to voicemail. "Sylar when you hear this message call me back when you get the chance. We need to talk about Claire." For a moment he thought it was strange that it went to voicemail, but brushed it off in the end. "Come on boy, let's go eat dinner." He stood with Dominic beside him and walked to the dining room.

* * *

Peter sat on the ledge of his apartment complex building. His mind continued to run in circles not believing what his mother said about his dad's depression, Nathan would have told him if that was case and Heidi's words of encouragement thrived within in him reassuring him that what he saw was real. He had thrown himself off the building and Nathan flew to rescue him. The rooftop door opening broke through his musings. He didn't have to glance at the person to know who it was.

"I've been looking all over for you since you checked yourself out the hospital." Nathan said feeling relieved to see that Peter was safe. No matter how many times he called his younger brother wouldn't pick up his calls or their mother's. Heidi told him that Peter probably needed some time alone, but Nathan refused to give it to him until he knew that he was fine.

"Did you know about Dad's depression?" Peter asked not bothering to look at him.

"Yeah."

Once again Peter had to keep the disappointment from visibly showing. _"These last few days…what else has he been keeping from me?" _"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because everyone is entitled to their secrets Peter." Nathan responded not liking the direction their conversation was going.

"I was so sure it happened…now I think I'm going crazy." He caught Nathan off guard with the change of topic.

Nathan took a step closer to him when he stood and stepped closer to the edge looking down. "Peter, we've been through this before." He said trying to distract his younger brother from doing anything drastically. "We've played this game before." He didn't want to be put in a situation where he had to use his ability again. He just wanted to be normal and have a normal life. He was trying so hard to keep it that way but Peter was threatening to destroy it all. "Let's just go."

"Tell me what happened." Peter was determined not to be budged. He wanted the truth, he wanted Nathan to face it. He didn't care if anyone else thought of him as crazy, but he refused to have Nathan throw that at him when he had also witnessed what happened when he was part of it. "When I jumped, tell me you flew."

"_Don't push this Peter." _Nathan pleaded with his eyes.

How many times had he bitten his tongue for Nathan? He refused to cave in this time for him. "I want to hear you say that you flew." He moved his foot purposely to get Nathan's attention on them. Peter took a step back ignoring the guilt that clawed at him when he saw the panic in Nathan's face. "Tell or I'll jump again."

"_You can't! Not when I don't how to exactly!" _

Peter took another step and dangled closer to the edge, feeling desperate. "Good luck on your campaign when I'm splattered all over the ground below."

"_It's not about the fucking campaign!" _Nathan took deep breaths to calm himself. "Alright!" He caved in.

The relief he felt was liberating.

"You want the truth?"

Peter nodded not being able to speak.

"We both flew Pete," He swallowed hating the next words. "I caught you and I lost control. You were too heavy and we both started falling to the ground before… just before you hit you flew."

"Are you lying to me?" Peter could believe the part of his brother flying, but not the second part. He didn't remember that.

Nathan looked at him in disbelief. _"How the hell can you say that to me? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to say this?"_

"You are." He growled angry feeling all the frustration toward his older brother burn through him. He was tired of Nathan's lies. "You're only telling me what I want to hear." Peter strode toward him closing the distance between them. "You're lying to me again!"

Nathan didn't know whether to tell Peter that he was proving his words correct by hovering over the floor as he came closer or be concerned that if his younger brother really wanted to hurt him he was at a huge advantage. So he simply pointed down because words seemed to fail him one way or another.

Peter looked down to see what caught Nathan's attention to see that he was hovering in the air without knowing. Shock settled in and his feet kissed the ground in an instant. In his surprise and excitement he didn't notice the disappointment in Nathan's.

"_No." _Nathan thought despairingly as Peter hugged him. He had no idea what this could all mean. Their lives would never be the same and if anyone were to find out they had abilities they would be captured and experimented on. He not only worried for Peter, but also his sons. What if they have one as well? He doesn't ever want them to feel the fear he did when he found out about it, he can only hope that they don't end up like him.

"Did you see that?" Peter asked grinning. "I flew."

"Sssh, I know." Nathan pulled him back into his arms and held him. He was in charge of looking after the entire family it was his responsibility…but he had no clue on how to protect them from this. He had no idea how he was going to convince Peter not use his abilities or how to cover his tracks to keep him for getting caught. There was nothing Nathan wouldn't do for his brother, to keep him safe even if it meant going behind his back and screwing him over. Peter would forgive him…like always. But that didn't stop the guilt that rose from within him as Peter continued to hug him smiling.

* * *

"You are one sick son of a bitch."

Hiro looked at the detective nervously not knowing what he meant, but knew it wasn't nice by the tone and the look he was getting. "I'm very sorry I not speak that much English."

"What I want to know why did you tear the brain to pieces?" The detective asked thinking that even if he didn't speak that much English he would still understand it. "Were you looking for something in it?" A Japanese man walked up to him. "We have a live one here. No English, no passport, no American money, no ID, except this here," He opened the wallet to show him. "An honorary member of the Marvel marching society."

Hiro smiled nodding.

"Let's start by asking him how he got to New York?"

The Japanese translator turned to Hiro and translated the question.

Hiro answered back in his native tongue without hesitation.

"He says he teleported himself here."

"Teleported?" The detective looked translator confused. "What the hell is that?"

"Like Star Trek." Hiro said hoping he'd get the reference.

"He said he can bend the space/time continuum."

"Funny I have seen all the Star Treks." The detective leaned in and looked Hiro in the eyes. "I don't remember you from the show."

Hiro showed him the Vulcan salute.

The detective sighed and leaned away. "How long ago did he do this?"

The translator asked him the question.

"Yesterday." Hiro responded. "If you let me make a phone call my English speaking friend can clear this all up." He told the translator.

The translator relayed the information to the detective, which prompted him to hand over his cell phone to Hiro.

Hiro dialed Ando's work phone number. On the first ring he answered.

"Moshi, moshi."

"Ando-kun."

"Hiro! Where have you been?"

"New York! I teleported—" The translator motioned for Hiro to hand him the phone, which he did without hesitation.

"Hello, your friend is under interrogation concerning a homicide and right at this moment we are trying to figure his whereabouts for the last twenty hours. He says he was with you yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"That's not correct?"

"I have not seen Hiro Nakamura in five weeks. We look for him everywhere."

The translator put the phone aside. "His friend hasn't seen him for five weeks." He told the detective before relaying the information to Hiro.

"_That's not true." _Hiro frowned confused before looking at his watch to see November eight. _"That can't be right." _He looked at them. "October 2."

"No." The detective grabbed the newspaper on the side of the desk and showed it to Hiro. "It's November eight."

"_It can't be." _But right there in front of him was the newspaper that said the date and underneath it was a picture of a man smiling. The headline read, 'Petrelli Wins in Landslide'. "November…" He looked at them hoping that they were wrong and this could be a joke. "No, October."

Before they could until the conversation they heard a loud rumble echo around them. The detective got off of his chair and Hiro turned around in his seat to see what that noise could be. He stood up just as the glass cracked and the building shook violently. Dread filled him as a cloud of dust rushed toward them destroying the buildings, a blinding light that began to sear his skin. He squeezed his eyes willing to get away from the danger, knowing death was approaching. _"I want to go back!"_

The sound of buildings crumbling was replaced by wheels moving against trail tracks and conversations. When he opened his eyes he was standing in the subway again. Not even the relief that he had escaped death could cause him to forget what he had witnessed, what lied waiting in the future. He had to change it or countless of people would die. Instead of backing down Hiro would face the challenge bravely after all this was what he had been waiting for. _"I am ready."_

* * *

"_**For all his bluster it is the sad province of man that he cannot choose his triumph. He can only choose how he will stand when the call of destiny comes, hoping that he will have the courage to answer."**_

"I wonder who can be calling." Eric teased as Sylar's phone rang.

"Your Daddy." Sylar smirked as he reached for his phone inside his pocket.

"Now that's not funny."

"Yeah it is."

"You're sick."

"You're the one thinking wrong." He was about to answer when he noticed it was Noah, but stopped when Matt spoke up.

"Is it just me or has that red Ferrari been following us the past two hours?"

"I've noticed it as well." Eric pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed his partner. "Donna, what's your report on the red Ferrari behind us?"

"Other than it appears to be following you at a distance."

"Sweetheart I need details like now."

"It's a male driver. I can't give you any key physical traits only that he's Caucasian and is wearing a black cap with sunglasses. Cliché attire for a suspect."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Problem is that he appears to be calm. Nothing out of the ordinary, but then again we both know looks can be deceiving."

"Call for back up."

"One step ahead of you, but if shit hits the fan it's going to take them some time to reach us."

"Good thing I have you to cover my back."

"Don't push your luck."

Eric hung up and placed his cell phone back into his pocket. "So what's the plan?"

"If he's following us, we can't lead him to the check point." Sylar glanced back to see the car a few feet behind them in the highway. "Top priority is to get Molly to Odessa."

"To H.R.G's place." Eric nodded in agreement. "Nice."

"It's the second best to New York's and I wanted to get her in protective custody ASAP."

"So how do we lose him?"

"We can either fish him out or lose him."

"Losing him in this highway isn't an option and we're about to reach the checkpoint in less than an hour."

"So then fishing him out it is."

Eric glanced at Matt. "Get your gun ready."

"Why are we stopping?" Molly yawned as she woke up feeling the car slow down. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet." Sylar told her gently pulling her near as Eric pulled to the side and just as expected the red Ferrari pulled up behind them.

A man dressed in dark blue jeans and a white muscle shirt stepped out. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but Sylar couldn't be so sure with the black cap and sunglasses he wore. The man walked up to them just as Eric rolled down the window. "Are you having car problems?" He asked smiling friendly at them. "Is there anything I can help with?"

There was something off about the man that Sylar couldn't shake off. It was a slow creeping up feeling that left him unsettled as if he was missing something important.

"No, we're good." Eric smiled politely back at the man. "My friend here needed to use the restroom." He motioned to Matt.

"Oh."

Even through the dark sunglasses Sylar could see his eyes moving as he looked between Eric and Matt before discreetly looking to the back where Molly was sitting snuggled up to him. He didn't like how the man's eyes stayed on Molly's form a second longer than necessary causing her to move closer into his embrace before meeting his gaze. A chill went down his spine sending warnings to his mind that they needed to get out of there.

"_**There she is." **_The thought invaded Matt's mind violently and filled him with dread as the friendly smile gave away to something more sinister.

Sylar didn't have to wait to see the wind to blow the black cap off the man's head to see the blonde hair that he knew would be there.

"We need to go now!" Matt yelled.

Sylar used his telekinesis to push on the gas pedal, but instead of the car going forward it stayed still. The tires began to burn rubber, smoke filled the air.

"What the hell?" Eric coughed as Molly buried her face into Sylar's shirt.

"_Lucifer!" _Sylar knew that he was the one keeping the car from going. He was using his own telekinesis to keep it still. Both powers were in a deadlock. _"The bastard is playing with us!"_

"Didn't your parents teach you any proper etiquette?" Lucifer grinned taking off his glasses and revealing piercing azure colored eyes. "Well allow me to remedy that for you."

Before Sylar could even react the car was sent flying across the air. Molly screeched grabbing onto him. Eric cursed up a storm as the car landed upside down and glass shattered everywhere. The pain that was caused by glass cutting her skin was nothing compared to the fear that gripped her holding her prisoner. "He's coming." She whispered as tears gathered in her eyes at the sound of footsteps approaching. "Don't let him hurt me." She cried trying to bury herself into Sylar's side.

The tears that seeped into Sylar's shirt reminded him of a time long ago when he was much younger and the little girl crying in his arms was not a brunette but a blond. The pain of not being able to protect her from the fall down a set of stairs as she ran to him in her excitement was heartbreaking. He swore to himself that he will never fail again. It may not be the same girl, but he had made her a similar promise and so the same rules applied. Sylar flipped the car upright with his telekinesis before anyone could react, the doors burst off their hinges and the seatbelts unlocked in a heartbeat. "Matt you're in charge of protecting Molly. Eric you have to look after the both of them and make sure no harm comes to them until backup arrives." He instructed as he got out the car with Molly in his arms.

"What are you going to do?" Molly asked trembling in his arms.

"I have a meeting to attend to that has been long overdue." He winked at her before handing her to Matt and turning to face Lucifer. With each step Sylar took closer to his enemy adrenaline coursed through his veins driving off the pain. Electricity licked at his palms. _"It's been too long." _The smirk that graced his lips rivaled that of Lucifer's.

AN: I apologize for any grammatical errors. A few things to go over, I somewhat messed with the timeline again. In the actual timeline Noah was able to get the tape from Zach because Elle tried to get it, but he stopped her with the Haitian. He heard about the tape for the first time because of Elle and wanted it from Zach afterward he got the Haitian to wipe his memory, so he doesn't remember what happened. Another thing is Heidi. I was watching the episode Nothing to Hide and I remember how I liked Heidi when they introduced her. I wish the writers had spent a little more time showing her, Simon and Monty, but they barely came out. So while rewatching that episode I saw how Peter smiled at her and she was smiling already, but her smile became bigger. Through that exchange I noticed that she just might like him and find him entertaining since she seemed to try not to show how amused she was when he was putting Nathan on the spot in front of the reporter. Then when Peter snapped at Nathan telling him that he needed to tell Heidi the truth I felt that low key he might like Heidi back as a sister and genuinely cares for her. I decided to work on that and expand on her character while adding more background to her and Nathan's relationship along with the bonding she could have formed with Peter. I hope you enjoyed what I did with it in this chapter. Please don't forget to review I love hearing from you. (^_^)

AN 2: I would like to thank: Chibiboku, Purple Lex, sylar1610 (I'm sorry there wasn't any Claire and Sylar interaction, but there will be some soon. You just have to wait a bit since this follows S1, I'm hoping that in the end it will be worth the wait especially if things go as planned. ;) ), sakura-blossom62, julyisfree, blondie 134, Spirit Speaker and LovelyDeadlyLie for reviewing! You guys are the best. =D


	4. One Giant Leap

"_**When evolution seeks its agents, it does so at a cost. It makes demands in exchange for singularity. And you may be asked to do something against your very nature. Suddenly, the change in your life that should have been wonderful, comes as a betrayal. It may seem cruel, but the goal is nothing short of self-preservation. Survival."**_

_**Gabriel 'Sylar', Matt, Eric Jr., Molly, & Lucifer **_

_**Somewhere in a highway, California **_

"_**Please let him come back alive." **_Matt heard Molly's prayer and held her closer as her body trembled the closer Sylar got to Lucifer. "Don't worry Molly." He whispered to her absently rubbing circles on her back. "He will." Matt only hoped he was right because there was no way that Eric and him could hold Lucifer back if Sylar failed.

"So you're the one they sent in." Lucifer said in greeting giving Sylar a once over taking in every detail no matter how small, assessing his new opponent. "I was really hoping to see Noah again. I'm nowhere near done with him."

"Sorry to disappoint." His gaze never straying from Lucifer's form, for the first time they meet in person. "Noah wasn't showing any progress in your capture."

"So they send in one of their best." He tilted his head to the side peering into Sylar's gaze.

"So I have been told."

A smirk curved on Lucifer's lips. "This should be fun." He took a step to the side and watched Sylar's eyes narrow. "Give me the girl and I'll let you live."

"Molly stays with me." Sylar stated calmly, but his body tense ready to move at any moment.

"If that's how you want to play," Lucifer's hand shot out and grasped Syalr's throat. "Then show me your worth." The words had barely left his lips when Sylar slammed his palm on his chest releasing a jolt into his system causing him to let go. Laughter erupted from him as he stumbled two steps back and shook his body to get rid of the aftereffects. "It's been a while since I've felt that ability course through me." His gaze met Sylar's. "Do tell me that Elle is still alive. I'm really hoping to see her."

"She is." Sylar responded cautiously as Lucifer regained his posture. "I can't say she feels the same though."

"Darn shame." Lucifer shook his head. "If you survive, give this message to her."

Sylar moved his arm in time when Lucifer lunged for his hand and instead was only able to grab the sleeve of his suit jacket.

"Tell her not to worry I'll make sure that the next time we meet it will be our last." Lucifer smirked at the chance to use his new ability. A cold numbness travelled from his hand to the cloth. "I'll even make an exception for her. It'll be quick and painless."

"I will." Sylar feeling the sudden coldness seep into the cloth quickly yanked his arm back as he retreated and took off the suit jacket. He threw the jacket to Lucifer who caught it just before it could hit him on the face. In seconds the cloths turned to ice, which he let fall and watched fascinated as it shattered when it touched the ground. "You should really not let yourself get distracted so easily."

Lucifer looked up just in time to see a fireball heading toward him. With a grace so refined, that literally caught everyone who was watching him by surprise, he ducked under the fireball and didn't lose stride as he ran forward to Sylar.

Sylar already anticipating his frontal assault had his fists raised. He dodged the right hook Lucifer threw, a blast of icy coldness breeze passed above him where his head had been seconds ago. He looked up to see the last remnants of an ice wind protrude from Lucifer's palm. _"Two can play that game."_ He used the back of his hand to smack Lucifer forearm back and stepped forward to get into his guard. His left fist shot forward electricity licking around it.

The blond assailant's eyes widened for a moment seeing the fist head to his heart, but at the last moment connected his right shoulder. He gritted his teeth as electricity coursed through his entire right arm leaving it numb. _"He could have killed me." _Lucifer watched as Sylar stepped back ready to continue the fight. "Why?" he asked. "You had the chance."

"It's against my policy." Sylar stated. "Even if I did want to kill you I can't. I can only bag and tag and you're one of our most wanted."

"I will not be brought down." Lucifer growled. "I refused to be anyone's fucking experiment!" He yelled feeling power course through his veins and let it all out in a wave.

Sylar had not expected a sudden rush of pure telekinetic power to be released. It had him off his feet and powerless even as he struggled against it.

"Donna!" Eric yelled when he saw the black SUV that had been approaching them at an alarming rate was sent flying into the air before landing upside down a few feet from them. He cursed realizing that he couldn't leave his position to check on his partner and Fallon without risking Matt and Molly's lives.

"We'll follow you." Matt said barely able to take his eyes off the battle between Sylar and Lucifer. The energy that surrounded them had the hairs on the back of his neck and arms standing. For a moment he wondered why Sylar had yet to get up, but let the matter drop when he had to run to keep up with Eric.

Molly watched as Lucifer pulled out a switchblade and advanced toward Sylar who was still on the ground. "We have to help him."

"We can't Molly." Matt said simply as he watched Eric help Donna out the car and Fallon managed on his own even with a slight limp.

"Reinforcements are on the way." Donna informed them.

"I don't care!" She yelled hysterical. "He's going to kill Gabriel!"

"What?" Matt turned around just in time to see Lucifer plunge a switchblade into Sylar's chest.

Eric was the first one to break formation at the sight of Lucifer repeating the action again. "Get away from him!" He ran forward, his gun at hand only stopping a few feet away from him and taking aim. He pulled the trigger when Lucifer ignored him.

"I will kill you!" Lucifer roared tearing his gaze from Sylar's withering form who had gritted his teeth to stop from crying out in pain. He glared at Eric.

"Step back!" Sylar yelled his voice filled with pain and panic.

It was the first time Eric had ever seen him so beaten. The sight frightened and angered him. He never had felt so useless. _"I won't let this son of a bitch kill Sylar." _He pulled the trigger again only for Lucifer to raise his left arm and stop the bullet, turn it around with a twist of a wrist and send it back.

"Eric!" Donna yelled.

Sylar watched with disbelieving eyes as the bullet pierced Eric in the chest and sent him crumbling to the floor. Anger and hatred for the man kneeling beside him burned through him. Sylar placed his hand on Lucifer's knee.

The smell of burned flesh had Lucifer looking down to see a small flame coating Sylar's hand on his knee. He punched him across the face and used his telekinesis to pin him on the floor again. "Stay down." Lucifer hissed grabbing the switchblade that he left buried in Sylar's left shoulder and brought it back cutting into his stomach.

Sylar groaned in pain when his assailant twisted the blade. Blood threatened to rise up his throat. _"I have to break through his hold." _He struggled against the hold with all he had but it was futile.

"Stop!" Molly yelled causing Lucifer to look over his shoulder to see her standing a few feet from them with Matt Parkman beside her. "I'll make a deal with you!"

"No you won't." Matt glared at the blonde man as he aimed his gun.

"I could do the same to you like I did with the other one."

"I wonder if you can do the same thing in two different locations."

Lucifer turned to where Eric body was to see Donna and Fallon with both their guns out. "What happened to bag and tag?"

"That will be up to you." Donna spat.

"If it is up to me then I would like for neither." He turned back to look at Molly. "What deal would you like to strike with me?"

"I'll go with you if you let them live."

"A very brave and smart girl." Lucifer smiled at her. "Too bad I have to kill you in order to get your power." He sighed standing up making sure to keep his telekinetic hold on Sylar.

"Take a step toward her and I'll shoot." Matt warned.

"We can't have that." In a blink of an eye he let go of his hold on Sylar and let loose another wave of telekinetic burst that had Matt, Fallon, and Donna knocked off their feet. "You." He pointed at Molly. "Come here."

Molly felt his telekinetic hold as it wrapped around her and lifted her in the air. She tried hard to continue glaring at him and not give into her fear. _"I'm doing this for Gabriel." _Tears blurred her vision.

"I won't let you touch her." Sylar growled feeling adrenaline course through him giving him enough energy to grab Lucifer with his telekinesis. He got up on shaky legs and glanced at Molly to see her feet back on the ground.

"Drats." Lucifer frowned at him annoyed. "I knew I forgot something important. I should have killed you when I had the chance instead of torturing you."

"I'll make you pay for that."

"You can't hold me for long." He grinned. "Once I'm out of your hold I will kill all of you, especially you with all your abilities." His eyes danced with hunger. "I can already feel them at the tip of my fingers."

"Reinforcements are on their way."

"Will you be able to hold me that long?" He asked. "You're well on your way to bleeding to death along with along that other one on the floor. Don't you want to save your comrades?"

"Are you trying to cut a deal with me?"

"Are you willing to make a deal with the devil?"

"Depends on the terms." Sylar ignored the curse Eric threw at him.

"You and the rest of the adults don't want to die and I don't want to get captured especially since I haven't finished accomplishing what I want. Let me go and I'll let you live."

"Why?"

"I'm not a huge gambler. I'll only risk it when I know without a doubt I will succeed." He glared at him. "I clearly underestimated you."

"And I you."

"Deal?"

"You have to agree to let Molly go with me."

Lucifer sighed. "I was hoping you'd forget about her."

"Never." Sylar growled tightening his hold.

"You can keep her for now. I can always take her another time."

"Deal." Sylar agreed feeling bile rise up his throat at the thought of letting him go. _"I have to." _He looked at Molly and then at Eric crouched on the floor holding his wound and glaring at him. _"I can't let them die if there's away to guarantee their safety."_ He maneuvered Lucifer's body and set him down beside the red Ferrari. "Go."

"Next time we meet one of us will die." Lucifer promised before climbing into his car.

Sylar ignored him as he limped toward Molly. "You okay?" he asked barely able to stand before the little girl.

"I should be asking you that." Molly said trying not to cry, but it was impossible not to when he was standing in front of her bleeding and worried for her instead of for himself. "Are you going to die?"

"Hopefully!" Lucifer yelled from his window as he sped passed them.

"That son of a bitch." Sylar hissed forgetting that Molly was still a child, it wasn't correct for him to use such words in front of her, and fell onto his knees. "I'm sorry."

"Gabriel!" Molly cried out as his eyes closed and his body fell limp to the side. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "You have to hang in there!" She looked over her shoulder to see Matt running toward them. "Help him!"

"Where the fuck are those reinforcements?" Donna yelled at Fallon. She got her answer when she heard various speeding cars heading toward them. It wasn't long before men and woman dressed in black suits stepped out.

"What happened?"

"Eric and Sylar have been badly injured."

"Help Sylar first!" Eric yelled when they rushed to help him first. "He's far worse than me!"

* * *

_**Noah & Claire**_

_**Odessa, Texas**_

Noah felt his cell phone vibrate for the third time as he opened the trunk of his car and had to stop himself from reaching for it. After finding out about Claire's ability he wanted to keep a closer eye on her and that meant taking no business calls when she was around. A part of him wondered if she had been giving out any clues, if there had been any changes, but he couldn't be sure since he was almost always gone on business trips and she was always smiling when they talked. It was only recently he began to notice the lingering sadness and slightly forced smile. _"How long had she been doing that?"_ He pulled out a stuffed bear that had a football helmet and a green jersey on. It looked ridiculous, but Noah would never say because Claire had spent hours working on it.

"So if our team wins, there will be a celebratory bonfire, where I need to represent. So it might be like, midnight-ish." She explained smiling as she grabbed the bear's legs.

"On a school night?" Noah raised an eyebrow. Growing up he could read her like an open book, but now she was closed off. The smile that graced her lips lit up her face, but her eyes remained slightly dull as if her excitement for such an event was a façade. To think that less than a year ago his daughter had been always talking about wanting to go to an event like this and now that she could… it saddened him to know that he failed her. More than anything a part of him wished Sylar was here. The man could work wonders when Claire was involved. _"Can it be that forcing Sylar to distance himself also drove her to this."_

"A celebratory school night."

"That makes sense." He teased with a smirk.

"Of course Dad."

Noah was about to say something, but instead remained silent when Claire looked to the side and what she saw had her body going slightly tense and her hands fisting the legs of the bear. He followed her gaze to see a teenage boy with dark brown hair and hazel eyes smiling at her. "So is that the quarterback?" He asked just as Claire looked away from him.

"Who?"

"The boy that you stared at."

"He is."

"Do you like him?"

"No." Claire had to stop herself from spitting out the word. Her anger was justified considering he had killed her when he slammed into her in the football field the day before. Sure he hadn't intentionally meant to do it, but it didn't change the fact that it happened. To think that at one point she preferred his company over Zack. She shuddered.

Noah watched her reaction with interest and a hint of concern. It took a lot for Claire to dislike someone. He might have to run a background check on that boy. "You know if you really want to make me happy, you'd only date nerds, you know."

An image of Gabriel wearing glasses came to her mind. He had once put them on to indulge her when she was younger. It made him appear younger, gentler, and wiser in a way. She looked away feeling her face heating up.

"It worked out very well for your mother."

"I love your glasses, Mr. Bennet." Jackie cut in.

Even though Claire now very much disliked her, she had saved her from what could have been a very awkward conversation. It would have been only a matter of seconds for her dad to notice the blush on her cheeks. The last thing Claire wanted was for him to try digging into her practically nonexistent love life.

"Thank you Jackie." Noah responded kindly. "Rumor has it you're a local hero. Pulled a man out of a burning train car."

"You heard about that?" She smiled chuckling. "O.M.G., does everybody know?"

"It was on the news. You told half the school to set their tivos."

Noah bit back a smile at his daughter's tone and the sweet smile she gave afterward.

"It's going to be the cornerstone of my campaign for class president." She said ignoring Claire's comment. "I'm running on a platform of moral, mental, and social advancement through good deeds. What do you think?" She asked before walking away not even waiting for their response.

Noah had to give the girl credit. She had a way with words and already had the making of being a politician. He glanced at Claire when he heard her sarcastic chuckle.

"I think I need to get something out of my locker." She said grabbing the bear from her dad.

"Hey." Noah called out stopping her and kissing her cheek affectionately when she turned back to look at him. He couldn't stop the sudden feeling of foreboding that came over him as he watched her walk away. "Claire." Her name came out without warning.

She turned to look at him curiously.

"Be careful. Okay?"

* * *

_**Ando & Hiro **_

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

"Ando!" Hiro exclaimed causing his best friend to slightly flinch in surprise.

"Where have you been the last two days?"

"I teleported myself into the future!" he informed him excited.

Ando looked at him exasperated. "Haven't we been over this?"

"Then explain this." Hiro had come prepared this time as he whipped out the _9__th__ Wonders! _comic book. "It tells the whole story of my heroic journey."

"Is this how you spend your time?" Ando asked frowning as he looked at the drawing of a man that resembled Hiro. _"It can't be… that's impossible."_ "Can't you see—"

"Just look!"

He couldn't explain why he grabbed the book instead of ignoring his best friend and going back to work. This was complete nonsense and yet he still took the time to open the comic book and paused when his gaze landed on a familiar scene.

"That's me in the subway."

A chill went down Ando's spine and he quickly turned to the next page to see Hiro standing in the middle of a huge city.

"Suddenly, I'm in New York! Five weeks in the future!"

He was still in denial as he looked at Hiro skeptical. "Have you been hitting the sake?"

Hiro ignored his ridiculous question as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and continued with their discussion. "I found the book's author but he was dead. Then there was a nuclear explosion! Ka-boom!" He moved his arms for emphasis. "This all happens in five weeks and you and I have to stop it."

"Definitely the sake." Ando handed him back the book refusing to believe.

He quickly flipped through the pages and stopped when he found the one he was looking for. "Look, you're in it too!"

Ando could not stop his eyes from widening or the sudden way his heart skipped a beat when he saw the drawing. Two men that looked identical to him and Hiro were conversing in a room that resembled the one they were in at the moment. He felt the chill go down his spine again when he saw the dialogue, it was the same words he had been telling Hiro.

"How could I know you were going to say that?"

"We still have work to do." This was all too strange and quickly turning into frightening. He stood up ready to leave Hiro.

"Listen," Hiro pleaded blocking his way. "If I can prove to you without a shadow of a doubt, will you come with me?"

They have known each other since children and it was very rare for Ando to see Hiro so dedicated to a cause. It was because of this that he didn't brush passed Hiro and actually took the time to contemplate what he was asking of him.

The alarm on Hiro's watch went off. He looked at the time and began to panic. "We have to go right now!" They had somewhere to be that was very important. "A girl's life depends on us!"

* * *

_**Peter Petrelli **_

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"_I can do this." _Adrenaline coursed through Peter's veins. _"There's no going back." _His entire being was on edge. It was now or never. His hands curled and uncurled letting go of any anxiety that held him captive, he raised his arms from his side, looked to the sky and took a deep breath. _"I can do this."_ His gaze went downward and he took a step forward letting his body freefall. It lasted for less than three seconds before he smacked dirt knocking the air out his lungs.

A groan slipped passed his lips. Peter got back on his feet and dusted off his clothes before climbing back up the playground monkey bars. _"I can do this." _He took a few breaths preparing to repeat the same process while trying to ignore the lone boy that wore a red cape and sipped on a cup of soda. _"I've done it once before I can do it again." _He took a step forward and kissed dirt again.

The little boy flinched and momentary stopped slurping, but continued once his gaze met the adult's and knew he was fine.

Peter sighed ignoring the pain that kicked in as he got back on his feet and dusted off his clothing disappointed.

* * *

_**Nathan Petrelli**_

_**Midtown Manhattan, New York**_

"It'll work." Nathan pulled out another tie and discarded it to the side. "We'll have the fundraiser here, not the ballroom." He looked between the blue and red tie not sure which to choose. "Makes me look fiscally responsible."

"Yes it does." Responded one of the men who worked in his campaign.

"Pete!" Nathan called out to his younger brother as he watched him approach. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"I need to talk to you." Peter said in greeting not wasting any time in pleasantries since he knew how his older brother worked.

"What do you think?" Nathan quickly asked when he saw the determine glint in Peter's eyes. He knew exactly what he wanted to talk about, but Nathan would try to avoid it as much as possible. "Red or blue?"

His older brother's technique worked for Peter was momentary caught off guard by the question. "I don't know." His gaze turned to the ties and frowned because he didn't see how a color of a tie mattered. "Blue?"

Nathan bit back a smile as he looked at the ties serious for a moment. He had his mind set on the blue one as well and was glad to know that Peter had good taste. _"I was hoping he would choose red."_ Even so like almost every older brother he got a small laugh out of teasing/ bullying his younger sibling. "I'm gonna go with red." He said knowing that would irk Peter. "The president wears red." He gave the red tie to his assistant and threw the blue one to the side just in time to see the small scowl on Peter's face. "So you're gonna come tonight?" Nathan wrapped an arm around his shoulders with the hint of affection as he guided him to walk beside him. "Gonna break out the suit, have a couple of drinks?"

"Yeah." Peter answered quickly wanting to get to the subject he wanted to talk with Nathan about.

"Rebuff the advances of my cute interns?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna to be there."

"Emily." Nathan stopped by one of his interns.

"Listen, I tried it again." Peter informed Nathan before he could lead the conversation again.

"Tried what?" He asked as he signed a document she had for him.

"What do you mean what?" He felt the familiar sense of anger and disappointment that only reared its head with Nathan. "What do you think I mean?" Only Nathan could make him feel this way. "I— I tried to fly."

Nathan glanced at Emily and forced a smile as she walked away before turning to Peter. "Would you keep your voice down?" Why couldn't Peter understand to let this go?

"You were there." Peter complied with Nathan's request, but did not drop the matter as he followed him. "Last night I could fly. This morning, nothing." He said exasperated. "I nearly broke my neck trying."

"Well, that would have solved one of our problems." Nathan commented hoping Peter would get the clue.

"Yeah." Peter ignored him not taking his words to heart already used to Nathan's harsh words. "So I went to the library to see if I could find anything on human flight." He unzipped his backpack, "I came across this amazing book," and pulled out a book. "Listen to this." He opened the book to the page he wanted. "'Genes determine, obesity, blood pressure. Out of the 30 billion possibilities, one might contain the potential for human flight." This guy knows what's going on."

Nathan glanced at Peter frowning before looking away.

Peter flipped the book over. "Chandra Suresh. He's a genetics professor in India. I called."

He remained silent a part of him wanted to stop Peter from talking, but another part of him wanted to know how he got this ability. Why after over thirty years it came? Why not before? _"Maybe if I had known how to use it I could have saved Heidi." _

"They said that he quit six months ago. They think he's here in New York. We gotta find this guy."

"_What if I could have used it earlier? Do I really want to know? I failed her either way."_ Nathan couldn't meet Peter's gaze at the moment. He refused to let him see his vulnerability. "We've got a more immediate problem here."

"What?" Peter asked worried when Nathan had yet to look at him.

"It's this female reporter. She's poking around into why you jumped off the roof." He spoke a moment after recollecting his emotions and locking them behind a mask.

"Nathan." Peter was finally able to meet his gaze and wanted his older brother to see that he didn't care about that. He only cared about the bigger picture. "We flew. Aren't you curious how this happened?"

"Yeah," Nathan answered honestly. He owed this to his brother considering what he had planned for him. "I mean, I want answers, just like everyone else, man. Just like you, okay?" He will try once more to reason with him if Peter didn't listen then he will carry on with his plan. "But right now, today, I'm trying to find a way to put a spin on this so it doesn't look like crazy runs in our family."

He understood what Nathan meant, but this was also important to Peter. This time he refused to put Nathan wants before his own. "I need to figure out why this is happening to me, to us."

Peter had no idea that he was cornering Nathan into a wall. "I've got responsibilities, Pete, okay?" _"I need you to understand… I don't want to hurt you." _"I've got an election to win and a family to feed, okay?" _"But I will if I have to." _

"So what do you want to tell the reporter?" Peter asked caving in when Nathan turned away from him.

"I know one thing we can't tell her. The truth." _"I would rather you hate me then go out there looking for something that might get you killed." _

Peter watched Nathan walk away not knowing what he had planned.

* * *

"H.R.G. is not answering."

Fallon frowned as he watched Molly hold Sylar's hand. They were able to pull the blade Lucifer left jammed into Sylar's gut, wrapped his three wounds to slow the bleeding and injected him with morphine to numb the pain for him in case he woke up when they were in the helicopter. They needed to get him to the hospital a.s.a.p. but they needed clearance first. If they took him to any hospital questions will need to be answered and cops would be involved. Both things were against their rules, but Fallon was not willing to let Sylar down like this. He pulled out his cell phone.

On the second ring he answered. "Fallon, Eric told me what happened. How's Sylar?"

"It's not looking good. If we don't get him medical attention soon he will die." Fallon ignored the sob that came from Molly. "Bennet isn't answering his phone."

"He's probably with his daughter." Thompson cursed. "Take him to the hospital. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"What about the clearance?"

"Fuck clearance for now!" Thompson growled. "I'll handle it. You just make sure he gets there and leave him there."

"You want me to leave him there by himself?"

"Yes." Thompson hated the thought of leaving Sylar like that, but it was the only way to cut loose ends. It was the only way they wouldn't break the rules. "Is there anything else you may need?"

"Bring the healer." Fallon sighed. "The doctors may not be able to handle this."

* * *

_**Eden**_ _**McCain **_

_**Brooklyn, New York**_

Eden couldn't help the feeling of foreboding that hit her when Sylar didn't answer his cell phone and it went voicemail. "Hey I wanted to inform you that Mohinder found a small brown leather book that had information on Lucifer. There was an address and key in there. I'm not sure what we might find, but I wanted to let you know so that you can get a team to bag and tag the location before we check it out. I tried calling Noah and Thompson, but neither answered." She remained silent for a moment debating whether to just hang up. "Be safe." The words slipped out and yet felt natural. She needed him to be safe, the thought of him being hurt frightened her because she had never seen him hurt. It was impossible even though he was mortal. _"He's the strongest of us… he can't be beat." _

Her hands curled around the cell phone, her knuckles became white.

"Claire."

Claire pulled out her Geometry book from her locker as Zack ran up to her. "Hey Zack." She greeted him with a genuine smile.

Zack was momentarily dumbstruck. He will definitely need some time to adjust to this sudden change in Claire's friendship toward him. It was a nice a change and yet he had feared that what happened yesterday was a dream. But it wasn't, Claire was smiling at him and not acting like she didn't know him or didn't want him anywhere near her.

"You okay?" She asked concerned when Zack remained silent and simply stared at her.

"Uh… yeah." He responded coming back to his senses. "About your tape I'll keep looking for it while you are at your away game."

"Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Promise." Zack quickly answered when he saw her frown.

"I'd rather stay here with you and look for that tape."

A small smile tugged at his lips. He knew there was a reason why he had a soft spot for her. "If it makes you feel any better I wish you could."

"That helps a little."

"Why can't you pretend to be sick?"

"Can't I'm needed."

Zack sighed. "Hopefully the night will go quick then."

"Hopefully."

"Claire."

"What is it?"

"Be careful."

Claire stopped walking as she turned to face Zack. A frowned marred her features. "My dad told me the same thing. Maybe this is a sign."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out."

"It's fine." She said even though it wasn't. She really didn't want to go anymore.

"Also if possible stay away from Brody he gives me the creeps."

Claire simply nodded she had no plans of going anywhere near him.

* * *

_**Angela Petrelli**_

_**Petrelli Mansion, New York**_

The future is never set in stone and it is ever changing by freewill. Angela knew that more than anyone. She changed the future by exerting her freewill over Sylar's fate. A loophole was created, its name Lucifer. Her eyes were closed as she slept, but that did not mean that she was not seeing. Her hands fisted the blankets as the images stopped and froze on one. As if someone pressed play the image became a scene that began to unfold.

_**Sylar bound to a chair, his hands handcuffed to the back of the chair and the skin on his wrists were peeled and caked in dried blood. His face was painted black and blue with bruises, a line of blood dripped from the corner of his lip and down his chin. Each drop of blood stained his copper colored shirt that had once been white. A needle hooked up to an IV that had a clear liquid pierced the vein in his elbow. **_

_**Watching him so beaten stirred sympathy inside of Angela. She ached to reach for him even though it was a vision. A smile curved on his chapped lips breaking the skin and making it bleed. An unnerving laugh echoed through the darkened room making her shudder. A dark figure walked through the darkness and revealed its true in the shape of a man when it came to stand beside Sylar under the lone light.**_

_**The man had slicked back blonde hair and wore dark blue jeans with a black muscle shirt. She could not see his eyes for he wore sunglasses. He twirled a switchblade in his right hand as he walked in circles around Sylar. **_

"_**Do you feel like talking?"**_

"_**No."**_

"_**I admire you Sylar. I may even go as far as to say I like you." He stopped in front of Sylar. "I know we didn't start off in good terms, but I think there is a chance for us to become partners. We can take over this world."**_

"_**I'm sorry I can't say that I feel the same Lucifer." Sylar met his gaze. "I'm not interested in conquering the world. It's too much of a hassle."**_

"_**But it will be worth it in the end." Lucifer smirked. "Isn't there anyone you want to protect when I reign this world?" He leaned forward into Sylar's personal space. "Someone you don't want me to hurt."**_

"_**We both know you won't keep that promise."**_

"_**Only when it comes to her." Lucifer sighed. "But for the others. I can let them live."**_

"_**That's not good enough."**_

"_**Tell me where she is."**_

"_**Never."**_

"_**I will find her." He growled grabbing Sylar by the hair and yanking his head back to expose his throat. "When I do I will take what is mine. She is the last piece I need in order to for my right to be God."**_

"_**You can take it from me."**_

"_**Not good enough. You have to understand that she is the only that can accomplish what I have wanted for so long. She is the only one that can break Bennet and the whole fucking Petrelli family. I'll take them to hell and back and only after that I can go on my way of becoming God."**_

"_**I won't let you have her."**_

"_**Too bad you won't live long enough to stop me." Lucifer brought the switchblade to Sylar's throat and cut. A smile curved on his lips as blood gushed out of the wound and the light began to fade from Sylar's eyes. "I was willing to let you have her after I was done with her, but you just had to be selfish… and now you're going to make her cry."**_

Angela's eyes snapped open as she struggled to breathe. The vision had felt so real that it still shook her even after coming to her senses. It was the first time she ever saw Lucifer in a vision. _"What can this mean?" _ Her hand sought out her cell phone blindly until she grasped it. She quickly dialed a number and brought it up to her ear. With each ring dread formed in her and when it went straight to voicemail Angela knew something was wrong. "Call me back the moment you hear this message." He had never failed to answer his phone before and the time she needed him the most to he didn't. _"He's busy… he's fine." _She continued to repeat those words to herself, but knowing it was futile to lie. It took her a few more moments to compose herself and tried to distract herself by figuring out what to wear tonight for Nathan's campaign. Angela refused to be a victim of her emotions if something happened to Sylar, Thompson would inform her.

* * *

_**Simone Deveax & Isaac Mendez**_

_**Lower Manhattan**_

"What are you doing here?" Isaac asked from the entrance of his apartment as he watched Simone move some of his paintings.

"The door was open." She responded as she placed another painting against the wall where she had put other paintings that were to be auctioned.

He walked passed her ignoring the feel of her gaze on him. His mind already somewhere else the further he walked into the apartment.

"Isaac, you have to get back to work." Simone crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him. "The comic book is late."

"You were taking them, weren't you?" Isaac turned to face her when he noticed that she was not taking a few, but all of his paintings.

"Yes, I'm going to sell them in my gallery and with the money, we can get you straightened out into rehab."

He walked passed her and grabbed the painting that had a blond cheerleader and a boy around her age with dark colored hair standing beside her. They appeared to be conversing. "I'm not going into rehab."

"I found all your junk." Simone decided to inform him wanting to address the problem. "The drugs, all of it." She loved him and it hurt her to see him this way. "I flushed everything."

He looked at her shocked and felt betrayed. Did she not understand that he needed that? "How am I supposed to paint the future?"

"Nobody can pain the future." She raised her voice wanting him to see reason. "That's the drugs talking—"

"Look around you at all these paintings!" Isaac snapped. Why could she not understand? "Every one of them has come true."

She took a deep breath trying to calm herself for she didn't want to fight with him. It wasn't supposed to turn into an argument, but there is only so much she can take. "And does that include this big one on the floor of New York going nuclear?"

"Yes." He answered without hesitation as he walked away from her. This painting, this vision was the one that frightened him the most. _"I have to find a way to stop it."_ "I don't know how, I don't know when, but—" Isaac looked at her beseechingly. "I have to stop it." He reached for her, holding her face gently in his hands wanting her to see what he sees, wanting her to understand that this was something he had to do. "I don't want to lose you, Simone." He loved her, a part of him knew that she in the end will leave him and yet he couldn't stop himself from reaching for her. "But if you don't believe in me, then you shouldn't be here." And it's because he loves her, he lets her go. He felt more than saw when she pulled away from him. Isaac let her go as he took a step back already knowing her response.

"Fine." Simone sighed knowing she had to be strong. "You think you can paint the future. Paint one without me in it." She was done with him and with that said she cut any romantic ties she had for him, refusing to keep on loving him if he was willing to let himself go down.

Isaac crossed his arms over his chest and clenched his jaw to keep from reaching or calling after her. Something inside of him broke with each step she took that led her away from her. _"This is for the better." _Even knowing that, it still didn't stop the pain. His telephone began ringing taking him away from the emotional turmoil that raged inside him. He picked up the phone, his gaze slid to Simone's retreating figure one last time before forcing himself to pay attention to the call. "Hello."

He gritted his teeth in frustration when he heard the same Japanese voice that kept calling him throughout the day. "I can't understand a word you are saying." His gaze slid to the doorway once more hoping to see her again, but she was gone. "Stop calling me." He snapped. "You got the wrong number." Isaac hung up before shoving everything that was on his table off in anger.

* * *

"Who are you calling?" Ando asked as walked behind Hiro.

'The comic book author." Hiro put his cell phone back in his pocket disappointed that Isaac would not listen. "To warn him about the future." He opened the comic book as he walked. "He keeps hanging up on me." His gaze surveying the drawings.

"That's because you're crazy." He said grinning. "I'd hang up on you too, if I could."

"Here's the spot!" Hiro stopped walking abruptly causing Ando to bump into him. He turned around ignoring the confused look Ando directed at him and showed him a drawing in the comic book. Both of them were standing together looking at a comic book just like they were at moment.

Ando felt another chill go down his body at the striking similarity.

"A young girl dressed in a school uniform will step in front of a truck." Hiro made sure to point the drawings as he explained the situation. "We have to save her."

"What school girl?" He asked even more confused when he looked around to see none there. It was then they heard the faint voices of multiple girls talking. They turned to look the same way where they could hear the voices to see a large group of girls walking toward them. "Okay." Ando finally agreed in helping now that he couldn't simply put it as a coincidence. "Which one is she?"

"She has a red bow! You go that way," Hiro pointed to the right. "And I'll go this way!"

Ando watched him run off. Seeing Hiro desperately look for the girl had him also looking for her almost in the same matter.

After mistaking one of the girls Hiro was losing hope until by chance he caught sight of a girl with a red bow waving at her friends before crossing the street. He saw the white truck coming driving down the street toward her. "Ando! Stop that truck!" He yelled waving his hand in the air hoping to get his best friend's attention.

Ando met Hiro's frantic gaze before looking over his shoulder to see the exact same truck he saw in the comic book. _"Oh crap!" _He ran out to the street toward the truck waving his hands wildly. "Stop!" The truck simply swerved to the side causing Ando to gasp and watch helplessly as it went toward the girl. "Watch out!"

"_This can't be happening!" _Hiro closed his eyes. _"Stop!" _He gritted his teeth, his hands clenched into fists and his whole body shook with the effort to will time to stop. A heartbeat later all sound stopped and Hiro slowly opened his eyes to see that everything and everyone around him were frozen. A toothy smile graced his lips as he looked around happy to see that time had indeed stopped. His gaze landed on the girl again and Hiro quickly pushed away his excitement as he walked to her. He was careful not to touch anything around him except for pushing the girl out the way. _"Go." _ He thought just as they made it out of the way safely. Time continued forward. The white truck drove passed them, the girl grabbed onto him to keep from falling. He helped her get back on steady feet before turning to a horror stricken Ando. "I did it!"

Ando looked at him in shock. He had been sure the girl was going to be hit and Hiro had been standing somewhere across the street. He had been nowhere near the girl a second ago.

"Woo! hoo!" Hiro yelled as he jumped toward Ando.

Ando met him halfway, his shock melting under Hiro's excitement. It was almost impossible not to smile in relief. _"He was telling the truth." _Hiro latched onto him and it wasn't long before Ando joined in jumping. "You did it!"

"So you believe me now? You'll come with me?"

This time he didn't feel worried or frightened. This time he felt confident in Hiro.

* * *

Sylar woke up to pain creeping up on him. His breaths became more shallow and erratic; he could hear a little girl crying. His eyes slowly opened to see Molly crying over him and watched as Fallon pulled her away.

"We can't leave him!" Molly sobbed, but Fallon ignored her as he picked her up and began to run.

"Fa—" Sylar tried to lift his hand and reach to them only to succeed in making it twitch. The pain increased the longer he became conscious, a gasp tore from his lungs. _"This can't be the end!" _The vision in the corner of his eyes began to darken. _"I refuse to! Not when I have so much to do." _

"Oh my God! Someone get help!"

His eyes closed again only for him to struggle opening them again a few moments later when his pain increased a tenfold. A gasp of pain slipped through his lips. Blurry figures surrounded him, their voice distant. He couldn't focus on what they were saying. His vision darkened, his gaze faraway.

"He's going into cardiac arrest!"

Various images of people he knew and things he experienced began to flash in his mind.

"Rush him to the ER!"

"_**Many spend their whole life trying to figure out who they are and don't succeed."**_

He was going to end up like one of them. _"I can't become one of them!" _He was going to let Angela down. _"Where the fuck are you?" _Did she not dream him dying? Maybe this wasn't the end and yet this did not comfort him. He was in a world filled with pain and all alone. It felt like the end. There had been a handful of times death came knocking at his door, but he had always been able to take care of himself. This time it was different, he royally fucked up.

"_**One of us, one them." **_

Sylar was stuck between wanting to curse or snort at the rule that Thompson had engraved into him. It seemed like Fallon left him hanging and he wanted nothing more than to choke the man to death for abandoning him. Sylar knew that he couldn't hold it against Fallon for the mere fact that the man was not his partner in this assignment. It had been Eric, but he had been injured as well. He wondered if Thompson knew.

"_**You okay?"**_

That had been the first question that Noah Bennet had asked him and broke the tension that had surrounded them since the moment Thompson made them partners. Sylar knew that Noah did not trust him, the man seemed to hate those with abilities, but hid it well behind a calculated smile that distracted others from the dark nature of the man. He had witnessed Noah at his best and at his worst and the same applied vice versa. It came to no surprise that they had become close over the years. Noah was one of the few people he would kill for.

"_**You're always welcomed here. Don't be a stranger."**_

Sandra… the woman was in a league of her own. She was far stronger than most would give her credit for. The woman has been married to Noah for over fifteen years. He cared for her greatly and would go out of his way to help her. She along with Claire would always be a somewhat sore subject to discuss with Noah. They have had their fair share of arguments when it came to leaving Sandra in the dark. The first time he found out that Noah called in the Haitian to alter Sandra's memories he snapped. It was the first time he ever laid a hand on Noah violently.

"_**I want to be just like you when I grow up!"**_

A little boy with a set of dimples and a toothy grin came to mind. Sylar would be lying if he said Lyle Bennet was no one important. Since the moment they met it seemed like Lyle made it a mission to become someone Sylar could not ignore. They would share a room when he came to visit and Lyle was still a baby. Then when he grew up the boy would jump, climb or try pranking him when he got a chance. Sylar would always stop him and made sure that his pranks backfired. There were times when Sylar found himself looking forward to picking on the kid and would affectionately smack him upside the head when the occasion called for it. If Lyle wasn't going after him they could settle down in watching TV or gaming it together. Lyle was like the little brother he never had, but would never admit it out loud because he didn't want to inflate his ego and then have to bring it back down a notch.

"_**I love you."**_

Claire had been the first to ever utter those words to him and mean them. In doing so she had him wrapped around her finger and she became the person he treasured the most. If there was one thing he regretted, it was not seeing her for three years. He should have simply ignored Noah. So what if she had a crush on him? She would grow out of it sooner or later, with or without him.

"We need to stabilize him!"

"_I want to see her one last time." _

"_**Gabriel."**_

A faint voice that filled him with warmth, pushed the pain away as it wrapped around him, echoed in his mind. It felt familiar, but it sounded different.

"_**Gabriel!"**_

The voice this time much louder tugged him further into the darkness of his mind. He let himself go, wanting to get away from the pain, fear, and loneliness.

* * *

_**Eric Thompson Sr.**_

_**Cainan, Georgia**_

Thompson knocked on the front door three times and waited impatiently for someone to open it. What he really wanted to do was kick the door in, find the boy, drag him out and rush to where Sylar was. His son had called him shortly after getting treated and demanded that he go after Sylar, but he had refused his request. Eric was in no position to move around at the moment and bottom line he couldn't help Sylar.

The door opened to reveal a fourteen year old boy with dirty blonde hair and honey eyes. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can Jeremy." He ignored the look of surprise on Jeremy's face and continued forward before the boy could waste time asking questions. "Sylar needs your help."

"Sylar?" Jeremy looked at him genuinely worried. "Is he hurt? He told me he knew how to heal himself."

"He does, but he got roped in a nasty fight that left him drained and bleeding. He can't he —"

"Mom!" Jeremy yelled cutting him off as he grabbed his sweater from the coat closet and slipped it on. "I'm going out!"

"Okay!" Jeremy's mother yelled back from somewhere inside the house. "Come back by dinner time!"

"Let's go."

Thompson was pleasantly surprised when the boy closed the door and began to walk down the porch steps.

"Sylar needs me."

He remembered Sylar mentioning the boy a couple of times. Thompson couldn't understand why Sylar kept an eye on the boy and went out of his way to check up on him. But as he glanced at the boy, who walked beside him in hurried steps to keep up, he could see the determined glint in his gaze and saw a glimpse of what Sylar sees in the boy. A small dose of respect for the boy formed within him. _"Hang in there Sylar. We're coming."_

* * *

_**Eden McCain & Mohinder Suresh **_

_**Lucifer's Apartment**_

"Mr. Lucifer?" Mohinder knocked on the door to the man's apartment. "Hello?"

"What are you actually gonna to do if Lucifer's in there?" Eden asked when no one came to answer the door. Personally she did not want to be anywhere near anything that Lucifer touched. She had heard enough about the man from Noah and Sylar. The man unnerved her even more so that two of the Company's top agents can't seem to capture him. She nervously stood behind Mohinder and hoped that Sylar heard her message and got a group to bag and tag the apartment. But she couldn't simply hope, she had to make sure but Sylar had not called her back and now she didn't feel comfortable in letting Mohinder go in there.

"If Lucifer killed my father I need to know why." He responded taking out the key and tried to open the door. "I suppose that would have been too easy." He sighed when it didn't work.

"Let's go." Eden said gently yet firmly and for the first time she wished she could use excessive force to drag him away from there, but that would blow her cover.

"No," Mohinder looked over his shoulder at her. "All the answers could be behind this door."

"It's locked."

He reached into his back pack and pulled out a screw driver.

"So can we please just go?" She pleaded her gaze went to the tool and new that was not an option anymore as he used it and busted open the door. "Or we can just break in." She walked into the room trying to calm herself and closed the door quickly not wanted to grab anyone's attention. _"He won't be here."_

Mohinder took out his camera and began taking pictures.

Eden frowned noticed that everything was left perfectly where it was last placed. No one had come in to collect anything. Sylar had not listened to her message. She had to forced her herself to keep calm, that this was not something to worry about. She will call Noah or Thompson after this. Her gaze went to Mohinder, this will only complicate her assignment. The further they walked in the apartment the more details Eden was taking in of what type of man Lucifer was. The more she saw the more it unnerved her. "A little light reading before bed." She commented lightly, after catching a glimpse of a medical book that was open to a page of dissecting a person's brain, trying to break the tension in the room. She felt on edge and needed to get out.

Mohinder moved his arm to put his camera away only for his elbow to hit a fake mirror that popped open and split in half. Eden held back a shudder and took a slow breath when she saw that it revealed a hidden room as Mohinder opened them wider. He looked back at her wordlessly telling her to follow and she was tempted to shake her head and leave, but instead followed him. _"This is not the time to back down." _

It was a strange passageway filled with mason jars and aluminum cans. At the end of the passageway it opened up to a slightly bigger room. On the wall there a map identical to Chandra Suresh's, but it many more push pins with strings attaching them across the nation and newspaper pictures of certain individuals.

"That map, those strings," Eden stepped closer to Mohinder to get a better look at it as he took a picture. "It's exactly like your father's."

"Not exactly, this map has more of them."

"I know that guy." She pointed at the picture of Nathan Petrelli and felt dread in the pit of her stomach. Lucifer was targeting him, she had to warn Sylar. "He's running for congress."

"His life may be in danger." Mohinder had voiced Eden's thoughts.

"Okay," Eden grabbed his arm when she saw him reach to push a sheet of black plastic that seemed to be covering something. "Can we please go now?"

"Not yet."

"Mohinder." She called out when he pushed it aside and walked in to see what appeared to be what could have been a closet.

Writing in black and red spilled over white walls. Eden shuddered when she continued to see the phrases of "FORGIVE ME", "DAMNED", and "SINNED" all over the walls and piled over each other. _"Could it be here that he lost his mind?" _She really did not want to know the answer. She wanted to get out and inform Noah and Sylar of this.

"Dear God," Mohinder whispered his gaze going over the words and stopping on the black cross that was painted on the wall. "What was my father involved with?"

* * *

"Have you gotten any word about Sylar or Molly?" Matt asked worried as Eric put his button up shirt back on.

"The old man wants me to stay here." Eric growled as he buttoned his shirt back on. "Says there's nothing I can do to help Sylar." Even though angry he was cautious of his wound as he moved around. "Fallon left Sylar in the hospital. He has Molly with him."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Depends on if they got clearance." Eric slipped on his shoes. "From the old man's tone they didn't."

"What can you do there once you get there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sylar is in the hospital. Fallon seems to be somewhere near there with Molly. Is there a way for you get clearance for them here?"

"No," Eric frowned for a moment. "But there is something I can do."

"What?"

"Send in people undercover and ransack the place so there is no loose end."

Matt didn't know whether it was a good plan, but Eric seemed more alive and sure of his decision.

"Wasn't there something you had to do today?"

"Couple's counseling… it's already late."

"Hey look at the brightside this might be a sign."

"Eric, please keep from saying anything idiotic." Donna said just as she entered the room. "Where do you think you're going? You're supposed to rest."

"I have no time. There are phone calls."

"I'll make them for you."

"A woman after my own heart."

"You wish." Donna bit back an amused smile. _**"Idiot." **_

Matt heard her thought and shook his head. He really had to get used to this.

"Parkman." Eric looked over his shoulder at him. "If you ever get tired of the police force you can always join with us. I know you would make a good addition to the team."

"_It wouldn't be so bad."_

"If you're not sure you can join Donna and I on a few assignments and get a feel of how our job is."

"I would like that." Matt said honestly. Maybe it was time for something new. It wasn't FBI, but maybe FBI wasn't where he needed to be.

"You should go back to your wife for now. I'll call you up when Donna and I go back on duty." Eric clapped him on the shoulder before walking out the room with Donna right behind him.

Matt watched them go wondering if he made the right choice.

* * *

"I'm confused." Ando leaned forward in his seat to look over at Hiro who was reading the comic book. "You said you called me when you went to the future."

"Yeah. So?" Hiro continued to flip through the pages making mental notes of what they had to do once they landed.

"So, shouldn't I be home waiting for your call?"

"We're changing the future." They leaned back in their seats when the woman in sitting on the seat between them leaned forward to grab something. "By taking action we've changed something."

"What if we make it worse?" Ando asked worried. "And if there's going to be a nuclear explosion… Shouldn't we be flying away from the bomb?"

Hiro should his finger 'no' at him while smirking. "A hero doesn't run away from his destiny." He frowned as he debated something important. "My only concern is whether I need to hide my true identity." He pointed at Ando asking, "Should I wear a costume?"

Ando cared for Hiro greatly and there were rare times when he would go out of his way to indulge him, but not this time. Instead of being worried about stopping a nuclear explosion Hiro was worried about keeping his identity a secret and Ando didn't know whether to scold him to take this more seriously or let him be. He settled on a warning. "You even mention tights and a cape, I'm going home."

"You can't go home. The comic book says we fly together, so we fly together."

"Does it say we have to fly coach?"

Hiro's answer was showing him the drawing in the comic that showed them flying in couch. Ando looked at him with disbelief, he did not sign up for this. Hiro sat back in his seat comfortably and just like the comic had predicted the woman that had been sleeping in the seat between moved in her seat and rested her head on Ando's shoulder. He was only able to whimper a protest.

* * *

"It's been three hours," Molly glanced at the man sitting beside her. "Can we go check up on him?"

Fallon glanced at the girl beside him. He did not know how to deal with children and to make matters worse the girl beside had recently gone through some trauma. He was not qualified for this. "Sure."

She looked at him surprised. The last few times he had been against it. "Really?"

"We have to be very discreet." Fallon took off his suit jacket, untucked his shirt and rolled his sleeves before unbuttoning the first two top bottoms of his shirt.

"You're not taking your sunglasses off?"

"No." He didn't elaborate on his response and held his hand out to her.

Molly grabbed it and the both of them began making their way to the hospital. Anyone that turned to look at them would have believed the picture they painted of father and daughter. Once inside Fallon moved passed the information desk and headed to the ER only to stop in place when he caught sight of Noah Bennet standing in front of a glass. Molly tugged at his hand. "Do you know him?"

As if sensing he now had an audience, Noah looked over at them but did not move.

"Yes."

"Is he mean?"

"Depends." Fallon answered as they continued to walk forward.

"On what?" Molly asked nervously.

He didn't say anything as they came to stand beside Noah and followed his gaze to see Sylar lying on a bed hooked up to machines. Molly let go of Fallon's hand as both her hands came to rest against the glass as if trying to reach him. "Is Gabriel going to make it?" Tears blurred her vision, her nails scraped against the glass. He had promised to protect her, but this wasn't fair. Just when she had been feeling safe again it was torn from her by the same man.

Noah glanced at the little girl surprised that she called Sylar by his real name instead of his alias. "He lost a lot of blood and his stomach area was badly wounded, but they were able to stop the bleeding and are trying to replenish what he has lost." He turned to Fallon and whispered. "He went through cardiac arrest and flat lined for five minutes before they brought him back."

Fallon hands clenched into fists knowing what Noah was implying, if Sylar did wake up he may never be the same. "Does Thompson know about this?"

"I only talked to him after calling him back. I didn't know of Sylar's condition then, but Thompson's bringing the healer. He will be okay."

"We're not even sure how strong his power is."

Noah remained silent knowing that Fallon was right, but at the moment he didn't care. He needed Sylar to wake up again. It was bad enough that they had not been able to meet in person for months and now when Sylar had needed him most, he had failed him. "The moment Sylar's healed I'm taking him with me."

"You'll have to tell Thompson that."

"When will he wake up?" Molly asked the adults not taking her eyes off of Sylar. "I haven't thanked him." She turned to look at Noah and smiled through her tear filled eyes. "He protected me."

Watching her cry over Sylar reminded Noah of his daughter when she was much younger. "You will be able to once he wakes up." Noah reassured her, years of taking care and loving both Claire and Lyle had softened him up to children and made it harder when his target were the little ones. He looked away from the girl to see Thompson and Jeremy speed walking down the hall.

"How is he?" Thompson asked once he reached them only to see Sylar's condition.

This was the second time Fallon ever saw Thompson emotionally involved. The first time had been when a target had shoved Eric down the stairs hospitalizing him for two weeks. Thompson had gone after the target and brought him in within an inch of his life. This time Fallon could see the fear and anger in his gaze.

"_If I ever cross paths with him I will kill him." _Thompson vowed as he moved passed Noah, Fallon, and Molly and entered the room with Jeremy behind him.

Jeremy didn't wait to be told what to do as he rushed to Sylar's side. _"Who did this to him?" _He had always thought Sylar to be the strongest of them all, but if someone brought him down to state… what did this mean? Sylar only ever went after the dangerous ones now and if someone this strong and evil was walking around, how did they stand a chance? Jeremy placed one hand over Sylar's chest and the other one his head before closing his eyes. Familiar warmth coursed through his veins and went straight to his palms.

Molly gasped when she saw Jeremy's palms give out a soft glow. "He's healing him."

They all watched as Sylar began to take deep breaths. His chest falling and rising easier, all visible bruises and wounds faded away leaving unmarred flesh.

Jeremy opened his eyes, the glow in his palms dimmed until there was no more. He stepped back his hands falling to his side. "I did what I can. I'm not sure if he's supposed to awaken right now."

"That may not be the case." Noah said entering the room with Fallon and Molly. "Even though his body is healed it might take longer for his mind to process it."

"How long?" Thompson looked at him.

"I can't tell you Thompson for I am not trained in the medical field. You will have to ask someone who is." Noah walked to Sylar's bedside. "But I personally think that before the week is done he will wake up."

"Someone will have to look after him for the time being." Thompson frowned. "We're all on assignment."

"I have an apartment he can stay at for the time being."

"I'm not worried about where he can stay. I'm worried about who will look after him."

"I can." Molly spoke up causing Noah to look at her slightly amused, Jeremy surprised, Fallon raised an eyebrow, while Thompson looked at her suspiciously.

"Who are you?" Thompson asked for the first time noticing her.

"Molly Walker." She grabbed Sylar's hand. "I have favor to repay." _"He looked after me when I needed someone to… I can do the same for him."_

Thompson remembered his son mentioning the small girl. "You're too young to look after him by yourself."

"I can help her." Jeremy offered.

"Your mother will kill you if don't arrive home tonight."

"You're over exaggerating. She'll only ground me for life."

"That's not going to happen under my watch."

Jeremy shrugged at Molly as if to say 'I tried' and Molly smiled at him in gratitude.

"Isn't there someone who Sylar goes to when injured?"

"Eden, but she's on the field right now."

"I'll look into it." Fallon said. "By tomorrow morning I'll have someone ready."

"That sounds reasonable." Thompson turned to look at Molly. "You're going to have to come with me."

"I'm not leaving his side." Molly glared at him.

"Let her stay." Noah cut in. "Sylar can take her to New York after waking."

"Fine." He sighed not up to arguing with anyone. It was good enough knowing that Sylar was going to make it. "I have to take that one home now."

Jeremy turned to Molly. "Can you make sure he calls me when he wakes up?"

"Sure, what's your name?"

"Jeremy." He holds out his hand for her.

"I will." She shook his hand.

"Thank you." Jeremy smiled at her before following Thompson out the room.

"Now that that's over we can move him."

"The fun part." Fallon sighed. "Do you have others on standby?"

"Eric did the favor of getting them ready."

"Why am I not surprised?"

* * *

"_**Simone Deveaux & Peter Petrelli **_

_**Apartment of Charles Deveaux **_

"Simone." Peter was barely coming out of the elevator when he saw Simone.

"Oh hey." She greeted him surprised and at the same time feeling guilty that she would have walked passed him without noticing. Her mind had been preoccupied somewhere else. "I was just coming up to check on my dad." She looked at him confused. "Where are you going? Aren't you supposed to be on your shift?"

"I was just filling in my replacement, and saying bye to your dad."

"What?" Simone looked at him in disbelief.

"Listen." He grabbed her gently by the wrist and moved to stand with her to the side to let people use the elevator.

"No." She didn't want him to quit. He had been so helpful with her dad. She trusted no one but him when it came to her father.

He wanted to break it down to her gently, but there really wasn't a way. "I'm quitting."

"Why?" She didn't want him to leave because she had gotten used to his presence.

"I called the agency and told them this morning." Peter informed her not really offering her an explanation. He couldn't tell her that this was something he had to do.

"But my father—" She tried as a last resort hoping that maybe he would change his mind or that this was a sick joke.

"Coraline's gonna take really great care of—"

"But she's not you."

"This is not where I am supposed to be." Peter caved in hoping that maybe she will understand. "This is not what I am supposed to do. I can't really explain it."

His words reminded of her Isaac, but instead of snapping at him or giving him an ultimanium she had patience for him. Peter never did anything unless it was with good reason and he never intentionally hurt people. She trusted him. "Well, try."

"Look the truth is I've been trying to save the world, one person at a time. But I'm meant for something bigger, something important. I know it now."

In that one moment Simone had never seen him more confident in himself. Determination to strive for that something important took her by surprise.

"That's really all I can tell you."

Simone nodded in understand. She would never dream of stopping him when he's like this. He grabbed her hand and gave it one last comforting and reassuring squeeze. The words slipped out just as he was letting go and walking away, "I'll miss you." It was the truth for she really would.

Peter stopped and turned to face her meeting her gaze. "It's New York. Everyone runs into each other sooner or later."

"Maybe it'll be sooner." The smile that curved on his lips had her hoping that it would be true. She was already missing him as he walked away.

* * *

Claire stared at the bonfire with her arms crossed and watched the effigy she made slowly burn. She was literally bored out of her mind. _"I should have listened to Zack and faked being sick."_

"Nice effigy."

She gritted her teeth and forced a smile when she looked at Brody. "Thanks. I stayed up all night stuffing it with newspaper." No matter how much she did not want to deal with him she still had to play nice considering her dislike toward him was one-sided.

"I have a feeling it's stuffed with firecrackers, but that's just me."

"That would have been cool."

"Careful." Claire had to stop herself from elbowing him in the face when she felt his hands on her waist and tugged her back two steps until she was standing beside him. "If you stand too close, you'll end up like that guy."

She was tempted to smack that smile off his face, but instead settled on stepping away from him and out of his reach.

"Dale Ledgerwood's got a keg in the back of his truck."

"I'm not into drinking."

"Come on Claire, live a little."

"I know, but I'm not feeling up for it tonight." She smiled at him as she took out her cell phone. "I have it on vibrate." She explained before flipping it open and pretending someone called her. "Hello." Claire held up a finger to him as if asking him to wait for a moment before walking away and tried not to think of how she still felt Brody's gaze on her form. Zach's warning still vivid in her mind.

If Claire had been more aware of her surroundings she would have seen another girl with blonde hair watching her with a worried expression.

* * *

Matt opened the door to his bedroom expecting to see his wife asleep, but was surprised to see her still up. "Hey, you waited up for me." He turned to close the door and didn't see the tired and disappointed look she directed at him. "Look, I know missed our therapy session."

"It's fine." Janice sighed as she moved her work things off the bed.

"No, it wasn't. I'm sorry." He knew he screwed up today but it couldn't be helped. He had no idea when he woke up this morning that he was going to meet two men and a girl that would completely flip his life upside down in a matter of moments. "I had the craziest day today. You would not believe what happened to me."

"You don't have to tell me." She walked passed him with her manila folders and laptop in her arms.

"That's it?" Matt turned to her not knowing what he wanted from her, but pissed that she would dismiss him so quickly. She did not stay up to see if he would arrive safely home or because she had wanted to sit down and talk. "You waited up all this time so that you could tell me that you don't want to talk to me?"

"Look, I really don't want this to turn into a fight and if I say anything else it will." She finished packing up her work things and turned to him. "I'm really trying Matt. You know, this marriage may not mean anything to you—"

"What?" Matt looked at her confused. "It does. What are you talking about? I have a lot of stuff going on right now."

"So do I." Janice turned to face him. "It was supposed to be a good thing when I made associate, and you were supposed to be happy for me. But ever since then, it's like you're mad at me for getting what I wanted because you haven't." She couldn't meet his eyes after saying those words and when she did the hurt in his gaze had her looking away.

He remained silent not knowing what to say to her. Her words cut into him because they were true about him being angry, but not because of the reason she said. He was mad at himself for not being able to go up in position. He wanted her to be proud of him, to be proud to call him her husband again. "I don't mean to be." He turned to look at her but her back was to him. "It's just… it's hard."

"_**I can't do this anymore. I wish he would just leave."**_

Her thought pierced his mind wounding him more than her previous words. "Fine. I will." He gave up trying to let her see his reasoning and instead gave her what she wanted by walking out the room.

* * *

_**Nathan & Heidi Petrelli**_

_**Petrelli Mansion**_

"Nathan."

Nathan paused in fixing his tie and met his wife's gaze through the mirror. "Yes?"

"Don't hurt him. He has his own problems and his own life to deal with."

"Who?"

"Peter." Heidi warned him. "Whatever you do, don't use his incident to win you votes."

"What makes you think that I will?" He finished with his tie and gave himself a once over to see if everything was in place.

"I know how you Petrellis' think."

"Do you?" He raised an eyebrow at her as he put his suit jacket on.

"I believe I'm qualified to say that." Heidi was not amused with his antics. "You forget that I have been married to you for eight years, I have to deal with your mother on a daily basis and the same could be applied to your father before he passed away."

"When you put it that way I can't argue with you." Nathan turned around and walked to her. "I won't be here in time to put the boys to sleep so don't forget to give them a goodnight kiss for me." He crouched down in front of her. not caring that it could wrinkle his suit, so he could be in eye level with her.

"Do the right thing Nathan."

"I always do." Nathan pressed his lips against hers and fought back a frown that threatened to surface when she didn't kiss him back._ "It's better this way." _He pulled away from her and walked the room without a backward glance. This wasn't about the election. This was about his family. He would do anything to protect them and if that included using Peter as a scapegoat and dragging him through the mud in order to get him to drop the search for their abilities then so be it. Now if in the end what he has planned helps him get votes then that can't be helped.

* * *

"**Save me. I am dying of boredom." **Claire texted to Zack, while sitting in the bleachers, away from the party. Her phone vibrated a minute later.

"**Told you to fake being sick."**

She smiled at his text. **"Remind me to listen to you next time."**

"**It's about time you realized how awesome I am."**

"**Don't make me burst your ego."**

"**You wouldn't dare. = ( " **

"**Try me." **Claire sent the text before looking up when she felt someone watching her. Her stomach dropped when she caught sight of Brody approaching her. _"What does he want?"_

"So this is where you went to hide?" He took a seat beside her.

"I'm not hiding. I just wanted some time alone." Her phone vibrated alerting her she had a text.

"Who are you texting?"

"A friend." Claire scooted away from him not liking the way he was looking at her. _"Has he always looked at me like this?"_

"What's going on Claire? You used to be interested in me and now you push me away."

She stood up from her seat and watched with guarded eyes as he followed her every move like a predator. "I'm sorry if I have been confusing you."

"So you are still interested in me?"

"No, I'm not." She stated firmly and clearly. "I want nothing to do with you."

"But I want everything to do with you."

Claire took another step back when he stood up. Her instincts told her to run and she tried to but he latched onto her wrist and threw her against the fence. "No, Brody, stop!" She tried to shove him when he pinned her against the fence and tried spreading her legs.

"This is gonna happen, Clarie." He pressed his lips against hers.

She felt bile rise in her throat at the taste of alcohol on his tongue and the way his body pressed against hers. His hand tried to tear at her panties. Her hands shoved and scratched at him, but he remained unfazed. In a desperate attempt to escape she bit his tongue. He stopped kissing her and cursed. "You bitch!"

Claire took this opening to punch him across the face and shove him away. The moment he let her go she took off running. She wasn't seeing where she was going, she just needed to get away. Claire could hear him running behind him. "No!" She screeched when he grabbed her arm and threw her against the fence again. This time he wasn't able to catch her and her body bounce off the fence like a rag doll and landed on bark. A sickening crunch echoed through the night.

"Claire." Brody heard the impact and kneeled down beside her in panic. Her eyes were open and her expression frozen. _"What have I done?" _When she didn't respond Brody turned her to see huge stick of wood lodged into the back of her neck. _"I have to cover this up…"_

* * *

Peter took a sip of his drink as he watched the guests mingle. He could see his mother conversing and smiling at something someone said, but something was off with her tonight. Peter couldn't help but notice this mother seemed preoccupied. He made a mental note to talk to her later that night and turned to look elsewhere to see Simone. "So I guess sooner rather than later." He said in greeting as he came to stand beside her.

Simone chuckled at his words, happy that she was able to surprise him.

"To destiny." He raised his glass for a toast.

She looked at him with interest.

"May we recognize it when we see it." A smile curved on his lips making him appear even more handsome than usually.

"To love." She stopped him before he could take a sip from his drink. "May we stay away from it when it's no good for us."

Both glasses touched and Peter was lost in her words, but decided to keep his thoughts to himself and simply observe her for the night.

Simone placed her glass down after taking a sip. "You know earlier today when you told me how you changed."

"Yeah."

"I noticed it. There's just something different." She told him smiling when he continued to hold her gaze. "It's like a look in your eye. A confidence."

This time he did look away smiling. "There's something I should tell you. Something I didn't think was right to say when I still worked for your father." He met her gaze again knowing that this is important. He wanted her to know. "Something I wouldn't have even thought to say to you two days ago."

Simone held her breath waiting for his words, knowing that he was taking his time to say them because they were something to not be taken lightly.

"I've been in love with you since the minute I first laid eyes on you."

Before the words could fully sink in or she could think of saying anything Nathan's voice echoed through the room, "Excuse me." It demanded everyone's attention. "Everyone excuse me."

Peter looked over his shoulder to see his older brother standing on the stage in front of the podium.

"I'd like to apologize about the rain." He smirked. "If you elect me, I promise I'll try and do something about it."

Laughter echoed in the room at his statement. Even Peter found himself slightly smiling at the joke. For the first time in a long time he relieve, he had finally told Simone how he felt and was feeling like his life was no longer on hold. He was going somewhere.

"I'd like to welcome you all here, on behalf of my family, my entire campaign staff. I'm sure that you know my brave wife would be here by my side, were she able." For a moment he paused to let those words sink in and let his mind wander to her. _"One day I hope you understand." _He could not do what she asked and so he continued forward with his plan. "The life-altering event of my father's death is really what prompted me to run for congress."

His gaze turned to his mother wondering if she would approve of his plan. The tight lip smile she gave him told him nothing He had no idea that his mother already knew what he was going to say for she had dreamt it. "My father hid a deep depression— an illness really, up until the day he died." Nathan schooled his expression to look fit the emotions he knew were appropriate for the occasion. "His loving wife, his attentive children, his loyal friends— we all knew about it, and yet he suffered alone."

Peter felt slightly uncomfortable of Nathan mentioning their father's problem for he had only recently found out because of his mother.

"As many of you might have read, my brother Peter had an accident."

"_No…" _Peter looked at Nathan trying to not let this get to him. _"He wouldn't—"_

"But what I have kept from the press thus far is that Peter barely survived a suicide attempt." Nathan met his younger's brother gaze, the disbelief and betrayal he saw there did nothing to stop him.

Angela looked at her youngest son to see him tensing. Her mother instinct was demanding she pull Nathan off the stage, but not before sheltering her youngest son by telling those reporters where they could shove their cameras at. When Peter met her gaze Angela had to stand her ground. This had to play out.

"My first instinct was to keep his illness hidden."

Simone glanced at Peter and knew just how much this was affecting him. She did not care for his brother and held no respect for him for what he was making Peter go through. She wanted to place her hand on his shoulder just to show that she was there for him, but she did not want him to feel anymore self conscious than what he already did.

"But no one should suffer alone because we are all connected somehow."

"_I have to get out of here." _Peter walked away not being able to stand the sight of Nathan anymore. He left before he did something that could tarnish the Petrelli name.

"Everyone in this room."

"Peter." Simone called out to him weakly, but he ignored her as he walked passed people ignoring their stares and made his way to the exit.

"You, me, everyone in this city." Nathan watched Peter leave and wondered for a moment when he will finally stop having to hurt him. "And we need to look out for each other."

* * *

_**Los Angeles**_

_**International Airport**_

"Nissan Versa." Hiro informed the female worker as he pointed at the picture of the car. "Nissan Versa."

"That's a popular choice let me check to see if we still have any of those left." She went to her computer to check the database.

"Hiro!" Ando turned to him. "We've got a connecting flight leaving for New York."

"We're not flying."

"Why not?"

"It says we rent a car." Hiro flipped open the comic book to show him.

"We drive all the way?"

"Yes in a Nissan Versa."

"Do you know how long that's going to take? Suppose she doesn't have the exact car?"

"You're in luck." The young lady came back holding out a key smiling. "We had one left."

Hiro took the key and looked at Ando seriously. "It's our destiny."

They found the car without a problem and hopped in. Ando took a quick look at his iPod, to see a blonde haired woman giving him a sultry smile as she took off her sweater, before putting it away with a smile. "So where to?"

"Las Vegas." Hiro responded as he reached the last page in the comic book. They had to get the next volume.

"It's our destiny." Ando as he started the car.

Hiro looked at him worried not knowing why Ando was suddenly excited.

* * *

"Great minds think alike."

Matt was sitting on a barstool nursing a beer when he heard Eric and looked up to see him. "Aren't you supposed to be on bed rest?"

"Aren't you supposed to be home with your wife?" Eric took a seat beside him.

"Key word is supposed to be."

"She kicked you out."

"She didn't say it… she thought it."

"Ouch." Eric took a gulp from his beer.

"Makes me wonder what else she has been keeping from me."

"Don't bother yourself Matt. Women are troublesome."

"Even Donna?"

"Especially Donna." He grinned. "But don't tell her that."

"It's not the same. You like Donna because she is troublesome to you."

"You got me there." Eric shook his head. "I got good news. Sylar is going to pull through."

"At least something good happened tonight."

"Amen." He clinked both their glasses before gulping the beer down. "It's been awhile since I have gone out to drink."

"Then we should celebrate by drink the night away?"

"I knew there was a reason why I liked you Matt Parkman." Eric motioned for the bartender to give them another round.

* * *

"He turns around to the other one and says, "Holy cow a talking dog."" Nathan was telling a joke to his bodyguards, none of them expected Peter to be hiding, so they were all caught off guard when he appeared from behind a pillar and punched Nathan across the face.

"You son of a bitch!" Before Peter could take another swing at him Nathan's bodyguards pulled him away. He grunted when they slammed him against the cement pillar and pinned him there.

"Let him go." Nathan said he held his jaw.

Peter broke away from the bodyguards and turned to face Nathan who was leaning against the car.

"Easy Pete, that's our mother you're talking about."

"There was no reporter on my story!" Peter yelled tired of Nathan trying to change the conversation.

"But there would have been eventually." He pushed away from the car to come and stand in front of Peter. "I had to take control of things before something happened. Do you under—" Once again Nathan was caught off guard by Peter punching him in the face. "Ow." His bodyguards stepped in again to hold Peter back. "You get it, right?" Nathan could have easily swung back at Peter, but he knew that his younger brother needed to vent somehow. He should have seen it coming considering this was the worse he has pushed him so far, but then again Peter didn't resort to violence. Now that he did, Nathan wondered if perhaps he had gone too far or finally broken him to become a full blooded Petrelli just like his father, mother and him. _"This is Peter… it's impossible to ever make him cynical." _It was his optimism that Nathan loved most and despised most of his younger brother.

"Yeah, I get it."

"Good man." Nathan gave him a thumb up.

Peter walked out of the parking lot and into the rain.

* * *

Isaac took a drag of his cigarette as he flipped through a sketchbook where he drew pictures of Simone. He wanted to see her. This was their beginning of the end and he couldn't stop wanting to see her. He stopped flipping when he came across a specific drawing of her. She was kissing a man while they were standing under a red umbrella as it rained around them. Isaac could hear the rain outside and knew without a doubt that this was what she was doing out there.

Thunder roared outside making it impossible not to think of her. His gaze landed the syringe. He wanted to forget this pain if only for a moment.

* * *

Peter was trying hail a cab through the rain, but was failing as they continued to drive passed him. He just wanted to get home and the rain was not helping the situation. Just as he was about to curse the rain stopped falling on him. He looked up to see a red umbrella.

"You're bleeding."

He turned around to see Simone holding her umbrella over the both of them. "What?" He asked not hearing her first statement but wiped his face nonetheless as stepped closer to her. "Look, what Nathan said, it's not true. I didn't try to kill myself."

No, I know." Simone said quickly trying to reassure him that she believed him. It hurt seeing how nervous he was because his older brother practically publicly humiliated him.

No words had to be exchange when he leaned in pressed his lips against her. When she didn't pull away he cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in for another kiss. She didn't pull away because it felt right being with him. Maybe all along she was supposed to move on, but not with just anyone… only with Peter. He had always been there for her when she needed to be strong for her father's conditioning worsening or when she needed someone to talk to. His presence comforted her.

* * *

Heidi had warned him about not hurting Peter tonight, but he ignored it. Nathan stood by his wife, who lay in their bed, waiting for her to verbally cut into to him or maybe this time he had pushed her enough that she would smack him. He knew he deserved it and he would welcome it. He wanted her to get angry and take that anger out on him because he deserved it… and yet she has not said a word to him since he entered their bedroom.

Heidi looked away from him still not saying a word to him and turned off the lamp on her side of the bed.

Nathan watched her settle under the sheets and knew she was dismissing him. "You're going to remain silent?"

She did not utter a word and instead simply stared at the white ceiling as she heard Nathan undressing.

"Don't you want to scold me for hurting our Peter?"

Her response was turning her back on him when he climbed into bed.

"You don't have to worry about him so much. Pete can defend himself when he wants to." Nathan turned on his side so he was facing her back. "He has a mean right hook and I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with it tonight."

"Good." Heidi spoke for the first time since he walked in a smile curved on her lips.

He knew she was smiling, he could practically hear it in her face. He wanted to see it again, a real smile from her. His hand reached for her, but stopped centimeters from touching her bare skin. He couldn't… he didn't deserve it. His hand came to rest on the distance between them. It was hard to believe that six months ago he used to be able to cover the distance between his wife and him in bed. That he used to enjoy touching her any chance he got, but now he felt guilty for having those thoughts. He didn't deserve her.

* * *

"_**This force, evolution, is not sentimental. Like earth itself, it knows only the hard facts of life's struggles with death." **_

Claire's dead body lay on a metal table. A woman pulled the thick wood piece that was lodged in the back of her neck and threw it in a metallic bowl. Time passed, color returned to Claire's pale and ashen skin, the dull dead look in her eyes was chased away as life spread through them once again becoming vibrant.

Breath rushed into her lungs causing her to choke.

Once she was to gather her breath she felt something strange with her body. Something didn't feel right. Claire looked down to see her entire chest had been cut open and she could her blood, tissue, organs and bones. _"Don't panic. You can fix this."_ She took a deep breath and looked at her surroundings hoping that maybe her situation was not a bad as it looked. It was then she as her gazed moved over the room she realized exactly where she was. "Holy shit!" She was in a morgue.

* * *

"_**All you can do is hope and trust that when you've served its needs faithfully, there may still remain some glimmer of the life you once knew."**_

"Gabriel, you have to wake up."

Her voice sounded so much closer.

"You have to come back."

Something wet landed on his face. _"Is she crying?"_ Sylar struggled to open his eyes as he felt more drops of something wet land on him.

"Come back to me!"

A fist slammed onto his chest forcing him to gasp for breath and his eyes snapped open only to be met with an unusual sight. He had to blink repeatedly as rain drops obscured his vision from the blonde girl beside him. He knew why the voice sounded familiar and strange at the same time. It had been Claire calling out to him… but it wasn't his Claire. The girl sitting next to him was now a teenager that appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen. The sudden change he saw in her physically unnerved him. He knew she would look different from when he last saw her, but seeing it with his own eyes caught him off guard. Sylar didn't know what to say and ignored the way his body protested as he sat up to get a better look at her.

Relief echoed in her gaze as tears streamed down her face. Her body shook with repressed sobs. Her clothes were stained with dirt and blood as were her hands. He took in every detail as silence settled over them. The part of him that wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her waged war against the logical part of him that warned to keep his distance until he knew what was going on. Sylar tore his gaze from her form to take in their surroundings and noticed that they were surrounded by walls of dirt. He looked up to see they were in a hole that appeared to be ten feet tall.

"Five years." She whispered.

Sylar's gaze swept back to hers. His hands curled into fists and locked his arms beside him to keep from reaching for her.

"I've been looking for you for five years." Her voice cracked breaking his resolve to keep his distance.

Before he could even reach for her, Claire closed the distance between them and once again Sylar found himself caught off guard when her hands grasped his face and her lips pressed against his. The logical part in him went silent. The cold rain that had one point become a discomfort ceased to matter. All he could feel was the warmth of her body pressed against his and her breath fanning his cheek as her lips moved desperately against his. _"This can't be real." _Was his last thought as his hands came to rest on her waist and his eyes closed on their own accord.

AN: I apologize for any grammatical errors. Right now I'm really sick and so if there are far more mistakes than usually that would explain it. I'm sorry so for taking so long to update! That was never my intention. I'll try to at least update once a month while I am in classes. In the summer I hope to get back to this and have it done by this year, but things rarely go as planned. I just want you to know that I'm not abandoning this fic no matter how long it takes me for to update.

I'm pretty excited by this chapter because not only is it the longest one so far, but also because of how the events played out. In case you are confused by the timeline of what's going on I will explain a little of it. In the last chapter Angela had a vision of Claire going missing and in this one it changed due to Sylar going against Lucifer. Angela doesn't know why her vision has changed because she can't see Lucifer's moves, but this time she was able to because of Sylar. Their paths have now become intertwined like Sylar's did with Peter and Claire in the canon Heroes timeline. I'll leave you to guess what will/has happen. If you have anything ideas or theories you want to discuss on what is going on in the Protector universe just leave me a review and I promise to respond back. And on that note please don't forget to review! I love hearing from all of you! (^_^)

I would like to thank: **sakura-blossom62**, **NShadows**, **Guest**, **Purple Lex**, **Guest**, **julyisfree**, **Nikki-4**, **Guest**, **TopazDragon**, **heroesfan1**, **Cing C0br**, **Rosabelmay**, **WOWcow**, and **Misa3000** for reviewing and encouraging me to keep going forward with this. You guys are all kinds of awesome! I really hope that you liked this chapter & it made up for the long wait! =D


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